Fire professionals promote new smoke detectors

Posted on October 1, 2019
The new smoke detectors will be required by the end 2022. (Dave Dahl/WJBC)

 

By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD – A law requiring Illinois homes to have an updated smoke detector – with a sealed, ten-year battery – is not in effect until the end of 2022, but fire professionals are promoting it now. This coincides with Fire Prevention Month.

“With this new ten-year model, the battery is actually built into it,” said advocate Margaret Vaughn, “so it can’t be removed. And even if it (could be removed), unlike the type with the 9-volt batteries, the battery is not good for anything else, so there would be no incentive for people to remove it.

“It can be silenced during cooking, which happens a lot at my house.”

A working smoke detector is needed than ever, said Springfield fire marshal Ed Canny. “Our homes used to be constructed of real lumber. Now it’s glues, fiberglass, plastics,” which are of greater toxicity. “They build up the temperature a lot quicker, which leads to flashover, which means the entire room is consumed in fire, and that happens a lot quicker.”

The newer smoke detectors cost about $15.

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected]

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