Saving More Lives With Saving More Lives With Photoelectric Smoke Photoelectric Smoke

DetectorsDetectors

NEOFPA.ORGNEOFPA.ORG Mr. Earl Lee WarningMr. Earl Lee Warning

Do you know what TYPE Do you know what TYPE of smoke detector you of smoke detector you

have?have?

Does it Matter?Does it Matter?

Based on industry information, Based on industry information, what have you been told for 30 what have you been told for 30

years?years?

Based on industry information, Based on industry information, what have you been told for 30 what have you been told for 30

years?years?

In spite of their differences, either In spite of their differences, either one of the two types of detectors is one of the two types of detectors is acceptable for home use.acceptable for home use.

Based on industry information, Based on industry information, what have you been told for 30 what have you been told for 30

years?years?

In spite of their differences, either In spite of their differences, either one of the two types of detectors is one of the two types of detectors is acceptable for home use.acceptable for home use.

Find the Find the least expensiveleast expensive detector detector that is that is UL ListedUL Listed..

Smoke Detector HistorySmoke Detector History

1970 - 11970 - 1stst battery detector battery detector 1977 - NIST (National Institute of Standards 1977 - NIST (National Institute of Standards

& & Technology) conducted smoke Technology) conducted smoke detector detector testing testing

1980’s - 75% of homes had smoke detectors1980’s - 75% of homes had smoke detectors 2004 - 96% of homes had smoke detectors2004 - 96% of homes had smoke detectors 2008 – 96% of homes had smoke detectors, 2008 – 96% of homes had smoke detectors,

25% of homes do not have a 25% of homes do not have a workingworking

smoke detectorsmoke detector

There are two TYPES of There are two TYPES of sensors in smoke detectors:sensors in smoke detectors:Photoelectric & IonizationPhotoelectric & Ionization

IONIZATION: Contains a small amount of radioactivity that conducts electricity. Ionization alarms are more sensitive to the tiny particles of combustion that can’t be seen or smelled, those emitted by FLAMING FIRES.

Ionization alarms are MORE PRONE TO FALSE ALARMS from cooking and steam from bathrooms.

PHOTOELECTRIC: Contains a beam of light and a photocell within the chamber. Photoelectric alarms are more sensitive to the large particles of combustion emitted by SMOLDERING FIRES.

There Is A Difference!There Is A Difference!

Photoelectric smoke Photoelectric smoke detectors are the detectors are the

detector of choice!detector of choice!But why?But why?

Here are two tragic examples:Here are two tragic examples:

Andrea Dennis, Kyle Raulin,Al Schlessman, Erin DeMarco,and Christine Wilson

These five students died atOhio State University onApril 13, 2003 (Palm Sunday)

Julie Turnbull, Kate Welling & Steve Smith died in this house on April 10th, 2005 (Palm Sunday) at Miami University

There were more than 20 There were more than 20 WORKING WORKING ionizationionization smoke smoke

detectors in these two detectors in these two fires...fires...

And 8 students died!And 8 students died!

There have been several There have been several large studies conducted large studies conducted over the years that have over the years that have shown that shown that photoelectricphotoelectric technology is superior. technology is superior.

The StudiesThe Studies

IAFC study-1980IAFC study-1980

Texas A & M-2 1/2 year study: 1990’sTexas A & M-2 1/2 year study: 1990’s

NIST sponsored private industry NIST sponsored private industry study-2001study-2001

NIST study-2008NIST study-2008

The ResultsThe Results

They were consistent…They were consistent…

Ionization alarms sounded tens of Ionization alarms sounded tens of seconds faster than photoelectric seconds faster than photoelectric alarms in flaming fires.alarms in flaming fires.

Photoelectric alarms sounded tens of Photoelectric alarms sounded tens of MINUTES faster in smoldering fires.MINUTES faster in smoldering fires.

Ionization smoke detectors Ionization smoke detectors failed to failed to sound at allsound at all 20% of the time in 20% of the time in smoldering fires!smoldering fires!

Some Fire Service Leader Some Fire Service Leader QuotesQuotes

““If everybody in the country would install these (photoelectric If everybody in the country would install these (photoelectric smoke alarms) we would probably save about a thousand smoke alarms) we would probably save about a thousand lives a year.”lives a year.”

AFM Gordon SimpkinsonAFM Gordon SimpkinsonPalo Alto Fire DepartmentPalo Alto Fire DepartmentPalo Alto, California, USAPalo Alto, California, USAOctober, 2010October, 2010

““How many lives have been lost because the public has not How many lives have been lost because the public has not been told the truth?”been told the truth?”

Chief Jay FlemingChief Jay Fleming

Boston Fire DepartmentBoston Fire Department

Boston, MABoston, MA

October, 2006October, 2006

PR CampaignPR CampaignChief Marc McGinnChief Marc McGinn

Albany Fire DepartmentAlbany Fire DepartmentAlbany, California, USA July, 2010Albany, California, USA July, 2010

NEOFPA & Earl Lee Warning’s NEOFPA & Earl Lee Warning’s RecommendationsRecommendations

At a minimum, install a At a minimum, install a PhotoelectricPhotoelectric smoke detector on each level of your smoke detector on each level of your home, one outside each sleeping home, one outside each sleeping area and one inside each bedroom.area and one inside each bedroom.

Consider interconnected Consider interconnected photoelectric detectors, either wired photoelectric detectors, either wired or wireless. When one smoke or wireless. When one smoke detector activates, all detectors in detector activates, all detectors in your home will sound!your home will sound!

What about a combination What about a combination detector that has both detector that has both

photoelectric & ionization photoelectric & ionization sensors?sensors?

These are not These are not recommended due to the recommended due to the ionization sensor that will ionization sensor that will

still produce nuisance false still produce nuisance false alarms. This causes users to alarms. This causes users to

remove the batteries remove the batteries rendering the detector rendering the detector

useless!useless!

What if you have ionization What if you have ionization detectors?detectors?

We recommend that you install a We recommend that you install a photoelectric detector in each photoelectric detector in each recommended location in your home. recommended location in your home.

Maintain your existing ionization smoke Maintain your existing ionization smoke detectors until you replace them. detectors until you replace them.

You may choose to install ionization You may choose to install ionization detectors detectors in addition to in addition to photoelectric photoelectric detectors in each recommended detectors in each recommended location in your home.location in your home.

How do you tell what sensor How do you tell what sensor you have?you have?

A sobering statistic:A sobering statistic:

Currently, 90% of homes in the US Currently, 90% of homes in the US are equipped with Ionization are equipped with Ionization

smoke detectors only…smoke detectors only…Is yours?Is yours?

By the way…What types of By the way…What types of alarms are being used to alarms are being used to

protect the most vulnerable protect the most vulnerable citizens? citizens?

Photoelectric smoke Photoelectric smoke detectors are the detectors are the onlyonly type type

being utilized in being utilized in allall commercial buildings commercial buildings

including hospitals, nursing including hospitals, nursing homes, schools, day cares & homes, schools, day cares &

apartments!apartments!

Shouldn’t we include our Shouldn’t we include our own homes?own homes?

To Review: To Review:

Photoelectric Smoke Photoelectric Smoke Detectors:Detectors:

Alert tens of minutes faster Alert tens of minutes faster (Resulting in more escape time, less deaths, injuries & property (Resulting in more escape time, less deaths, injuries & property

damage)damage)

Less nuisance false alarmsLess nuisance false alarms(Resulting in less disabled detectors from disconnecting the (Resulting in less disabled detectors from disconnecting the

batteries)batteries)

What’s the price?What’s the price?

Photoelectric-$12 Photoelectric-$12 Ionization-$8 Ionization-$8

NEOFPA & Earl’s Goal:NEOFPA & Earl’s Goal:

For more information on For more information on installing & maintaining installing & maintaining

photoelectric smoke photoelectric smoke detectors:detectors:

NEOFPA.orgNEOFPA.orgPhotoelectricSaves.coPhotoelectricSaves.co

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