Saving More Lives With Photoelectric Smoke Detectors

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Saving More Lives With Photoelectric Smoke
Detectors

• NEOFPA.ORG

• Mr. Earl Lee Warning

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Do you know what TYPE of smoke detector you have?

• Does it Matter?

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

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

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

• In spite of their differences, either one of the
  two types of detectors is acceptable for home
  use.
• Find the least expensive detector that is UL
  Listed.

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Smoke Detector History

• 1970 - 1st battery detector
• 1977 - NIST (National Institute of Standards
  Technology) conducted smoke detector
  testing
• 1980s - 75 of homes had smoke detectors
• 2004 - 96 of homes had smoke detectors
• 2008 96 of homes had smoke detectors,
• 25 of homes do not have a
  working
• smoke detector

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There are two TYPES of sensors in smoke
detectorsPhotoelectric Ionization
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IONIZATION Contains a small amount of
radioactivity that conducts electricity.
Ionization alarms are more sensitive to the tiny
particles of combustion that cant 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.
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There Is A Difference!
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Photoelectric smoke detectors are the detector of
choice!But why?

• Here are two tragic examples

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Andrea Dennis, Kyle Raulin, Al Schlessman, Erin
DeMarco, and Christine Wilson These five
students died at Ohio State University on April
13, 2003 (Palm Sunday)
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Julie Turnbull, Kate Welling Steve Smith died
in this house on April 10th, 2005 (Palm Sunday)
at Miami University
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There were more than 20 WORKING ionization smoke
detectors in these two fires...And 8 students
died!
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There have been several large studies conducted
over the years that have shown that photoelectric
technology is superior.
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The Studies

• IAFC study-1980
• Texas A M-2 1/2 year study 1990s
• NIST sponsored private industry study-2001
• NIST study-2008

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The Results

• They were consistent
• Ionization alarms sounded tens of seconds faster
  than photoelectric alarms in flaming fires.
• Photoelectric alarms sounded tens of MINUTES
  faster in smoldering fires.
• Ionization smoke detectors failed to sound at all
  20 of the time in smoldering fires!

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Some Fire Service Leader Quotes

• If everybody in the country would install these
  (photoelectric smoke alarms) we would probably
  save about a thousand lives a year.
• AFM Gordon SimpkinsonPalo Alto Fire
  DepartmentPalo Alto, California, USAOctober,
  2010
• How many lives have been lost because the public
  has not been told the truth?
• Chief Jay Fleming
• Boston Fire Department
• Boston, MA
• October, 2006

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PR CampaignChief Marc McGinnAlbany Fire
DepartmentAlbany, California, USA July, 2010
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NEOFPA Earl Lee Warnings Recommendations

• At a minimum, install a Photoelectric smoke
  detector on each level of your home, one outside
  each sleeping area and one inside each bedroom.
• Consider interconnected photoelectric detectors,
  either wired or wireless. When one smoke detector
  activates, all detectors in your home will sound!

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What about a combination detector that has both
photoelectric ionization sensors?
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These are not recommended due to the ionization
sensor that will still produce nuisance false
alarms. This causes users to remove the batteries
rendering the detector useless!
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What if you have ionization detectors?

• We recommend that you install a photoelectric
  detector in each recommended location in your
  home.
• Maintain your existing ionization smoke detectors
  until you replace them.
• You may choose to install ionization detectors in
  addition to photoelectric detectors in each
  recommended location in your home.

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How do you tell what sensor you have?
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A sobering statistic

• Currently, 90 of homes in the US are equipped
  with Ionization smoke detectors only
• Is yours?

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By the wayWhat types of alarms are being used to
protect the most vulnerable citizens?
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Photoelectric smoke detectors are the only type
being utilized in all commercial buildings
including hospitals, nursing homes, schools, day
cares apartments!
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Shouldnt we include our own homes?
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To Review Photoelectric Smoke
DetectorsAlert tens of minutes faster
(Resulting in more escape time, less deaths,
injuries property damage)Less nuisance false
alarms(Resulting in less disabled detectors from
disconnecting the batteries)
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Whats the price?Photoelectric-12
Ionization-8
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NEOFPA Earls Goal
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For more information on installing maintaining
photoelectric smoke detectors

• NEOFPA.org

• PhotoelectricSaves.com