New York Bans Smoke Detectors with Removable Batteries
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a bill into law Monday which will require that all new smoke detectors sold in the state contain 10-year, non-removable batteries.
From VIN News:
When the new law takes effect in New York in 2017, the state will prohibit the sale of any detector that requires traditional replaceable batteries.
The rule is intended to reduce tampering and ensure detectors continue to work even if a homeowner or business owner forgot to change the batteries.
States including California and Maryland already have similar requirements.
Milhouse
Right. So who’s going to remember to replace the whole device after ten years? And how many people who do remember will decide that they can’t afford it just now, and push it off for a month or two or twenty? And what about the ones that fail after only nine years, or nine years and six months, etc.?
Also, if you can’t remove the batteries how are people supposed to shut them off in case of false alarms, which happen regularly? And of course the more false alarms, the less likely it is that people will take a real alarm seriously.
Andrea Schonberger
Your concerns are valid especially the one about the alarm failing before the ten years are up. While I thinks it’s a good idea it might be more important to limit fire hazards in the home/office. Suggestions like use candles only on Shabbos/holy days and keep a sharp eye on them (one Chanukah my cat caught the tip of her tail on fire by being too close to the menorah), use battery operated lanterns for power outs, professionally clean the dryer vent/fire place on a regular basis plus clean the dryer lint trap/ashes out of the fireplace after each use, don’t overload on circuits, make sure the stove/oven and microwave are turned off before going to sleep or leaving the house, and don’t smoke inside the house. Using common sense may save lives.
Another Guy
Normal People
Pedant
This is a very good start but isn’t nearly enough.
They need to outlaw fires. No not the fires you light what to cook with, those we should keep, but the fires what burn up things they aren’t supposed to like walls and stuff. Those fires we need to outlaw and then we will all be safe.
There will be naysayers of course but we need to ignore them because they don’t care about S.A.F.E.T.Y. And safety is the most important thing and why do we even have a Government if not for that it is supposed to keep us safe by outlawing lots of things. The more things that the Government outlaws the more safe we are.
Another Guy
Why don’t we outlaw Monday to? Banning fires will not stop them. All it will do is blame the victims as violators of the law.
Milhouse
If fires are outlawed then only outlaws will burn.
Andrea Schonberger
I live in Washington state and we actually have burn bans when the air quality isn’t what it should be. That means no wood burning stoves/fireplaces unless that is the only heat source and it must be certified. In the summer barbeques are not allowed if the air quality is not up to par.