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Palo Alto to push fire safety
Local and national efforts underway to shift to more-effective photoelectric alarms

by Georgia Wells

In July, Albany, Calif., became the first U.S. city to require photoelectric smoke alarms in all homes sold, rented or renovated. Vermont instituted a similar requirement statewide in 2009.

Now Gordon Simpkinson, Palo Alto's acting fire marshall, says he may propose that Palo Alto adopt a similar requirement, replacing the older ionization alarms in common use today.

Photoelectric alarms emit a beam of light that activates the alarm when disturbed. Older ionization alarms have an electric current that, when disturbed, sounds the alarm. Ionization alarms contain a tiny amount of radioactive material and cost less than photoelectric.

They also, however, take longer than photoelectric alarms to detect "smolder fires" because of how they detect smoke particles.

"There are about 300 deaths in the U.S. each year because an ionization fire alarm takes too long to sound," Simpkinson said.

But their tendency for false or "nuisance" alarms (from cooking fumes) is an even greater danger because about 22 percent of Americans will disable their alarms.

"That's perhaps another 1,000 deaths annually because people have taken the batteries out of alarms," Simpkinson said.

His push to encourage residents to buy photoelectric alarms comes at the start of National Fire Prevention Week, which kicks off Sunday, the 139th anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire. In observation of the week, Palo Alto firefighters will be promoting alarm information at several locations in the city.

His push also is aligned with a national effort to promote photoelectric alarms, a campaign rooted in tragedy.

Leaders Dean Dennis and Doug Turnbull both lost their college-age daughters to fires in off-campus housing at Ohio and Miami universities, respectively. Andrea Dennis, was killed in an off-campus housing fire near Ohio University April 13, 2003, and Julie Turnbull was killed in off-campus housing near Miami University April 10, 2005.

Dennis and Turnbull have spent years researching fire-alarm safety and effectiveness.

"I'd like to think that Andrea and Julie didn't die in vain," Dennis said Sept. 22 as he presented their research showing the superiority of photoelectric alarms at the California Fire Chiefs annual conference.

When the National Institute of Standards and Technology tested the alarms in smoldering fires, they found significant time differences, Dennis said. One scenario included a cigarette smoldering on a first-floor sofa of a home.

"By the time the photoelectric alarm sounded people on the second floor of the home would have had 54 minutes to exit safely. They would have had only 16 seconds to exit the house after the ionization alarm sounded," Dennis said.

Simpkinson said he hopes that if the campaign for requiring photoelectric alarms starts in Palo Alto that, in combination with Albany, the issue will get noticed at the state level.

"I'd much rather see a standardized approach statewide," Simpkinson said.

Albany Fire Chief McGinn has begun door-to-door visits in his city, informing each resident of the need to change their alarms.

"We're starting this week," McGinn said Sunday (Sept. 26). "It should take three weeks to blanket the whole city."

Information about fire alarms is available at www.cityofpaloalto.org/fire.

Posted by Gordon Simpkinson, a resident of another community, on Oct 1, 2010 at 8:04 am

Please take a moment to review the safety of your home. Look inside your smoke detector, there should be a date there or on the back cover if it was made in the last ten years. Any alarm over ten years old is very likely to malfunction in a fire.

If the alarm is an ionization alarm, I urge you to replace it with photoelectric no matter how old it is, to make sure that you have the best chance of survival if a smoldering fire occurs. You get the best protection if you have a smoke alarm in every bedroom, and one on each floor of the house.

If you have an alarm that annoys you because it goes of when you cook or take a shower, this is almost certainly an ionization alarm, and you'll be far safer and less annoyed with photoelectric.

If you like gadgets like I do, there are now battery operated photoelectric smoke alarms that communicate wirelessly, to give you the earliest possible warning. They are available with built-in carbon monoxide detection as well. They don't interfere with my wireless phones or wi-fi network, and I can test them all by pushing the button on just one of them.

We have much more information, plus a brochure that you can take with you to the store, posted on our web site at Web Link

I hope we'll see you at one of our events on Oct. 3rd or the 9th!

Gordon Simpkinson

Acting Fire Marshal

Palo Alto Fire Department

Please contact us at fire@cityofpaloalto.org if you have questions or concerns.

Posted by Walter_E_Wallis, a resident of the Midtown neighborhood, on Oct 1, 2010 at 9:11 am
Walter_E_Wallis is a member (registered user) of Palo Alto Online

Residential sprinklers are now affordable. Mention them.

Posted by Adrian Butler, a resident of another community, on Oct 1, 2010 at 1:07 pm

Attention: All Palo Alto Citizens

Congratulations to your Acting Fire Marshal Gordon Simpkinson, the Palo Alto Fire Department and the media for getting the truth about ionization smoke alarms to the community. It is tragic that some US Government Departments still claim these "deadly" smoke alarms are safe. Here in Australia Fire Departments have acknowledged they have dangerous defects and have not given them out for four years:

www.theWFSF.org/afac

The stand Palo Alto and Albany have taken requires guts and integrity. The actions by these brave Fire Departments will eventually save thousands of lives.

Watch 'Smoke Alarm Recall' and discover just how defective ionization smoke alarms really are: www.theWFSF.org

Thank you.

Adrian Butler

Chairman

The World Fire Safety Foundation

Queensland, Australia

Posted by Peter Rogers, a resident of another community, on Oct 2, 2010 at 10:19 am

This is a great step forward, but an even bigger step would be to increase the awareness and use of monitored smoke sensors. They can usually be added to your home alarm system for a small investment, and should not add to the monthly fee. If you are way, or more important, if you are overcome by smoke, a monitored system can make the difference. You want the authorities on the way as soon as possible. also if you have pets...

Here is a blog entry that people may find very helpful, about monitored smoke detection.

Web Link