a better smoke alarm?
tommyYou never know what you’ll find out about here on Sticks of Fire.
Snowbird readers Tom & Joyce Harkema contacted us from Sarasota before they make their way home to Michigan:
… we want to inform you of what is happening back home in Sparta, MI.
Our son, Lt. Dan Harkema is a firefighter for Sparta Fire Department. He came upon a topic that most fire departments don’t even know about. After hours of research, Dan contacted WOOD TV in Grand Rapids MI.
Wood TV newsman Joe Lefurgy and a camerman went with our son to test smoke detectors in a vacant building. The results of the tests showed that it took 43 minutes of smoldering smoke before the detectors alarms went off.
Do you folks know that there are two kinds of detectors? The TV station did a marvelous job of airing this. Sparta Fire Department has been overwhelmed with responses. Please contact them at WOODTV.com and click on smoke alarms. Please get the word out to the public that they need two kinds of detectors, not just ionized but also the photo electric.
We are snowbirds from Rockford MI and will be in Sarasota FL for another two or three weeks. If you need any further information, you may contact us at the above e mail address. We are having this information published in our monthly newletter in our park. We hope this will save lives!!
We found the WOOD-TV piece about new smoke detectors. In a nutshell, you probably have an older, Ionization detector. Those sense the smoke from big bright flames (think grease fire or trash can). The new ones are photoelectric detectors. These can sense smoldering, smoke producers (think of a foam-filled couch or bed). Your best bet is to install both.
Thanks to Mr. & Mrs Harkema, and their curious son (Lt. Dan!) for the tips!
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February 24th, 2008 at 11:43 am
I saw this story run on one of the local news stations in their ‘fluff piece/ fill the rest of the hour’ section of the newscast, I swear a few months ago.
February 24th, 2008 at 11:50 am
See, those Michigan peeps are good for something.
(says a former GR girl)
February 24th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
Even better yet, dual-sensor fire alarms can be purchased that have both ionization and photoelectric sensors on them.
February 24th, 2008 at 10:02 pm
if the govt. welfare system pays for smoke detectors for welfare recipients, then I want the govt. to pay for my smoke detectors too.
February 25th, 2008 at 5:39 pm
Enough welfare, .. I thought most fie departments gave free smoke detectors to residents that need them. I tried googling, but there are so many local departments I don’t know what applies to you.
From a st pete times article last month: