News

In conjunction with the Fire Prevention Month, fire, safety and public health officials joined forces to make the public aware of Illinois' new 10-year smoke detector law.

"In 2017, there were 114 residential fire deaths in Illinois and sadly already 98 fatalities so far in 2018," said Illinois Fire Safety Alliance and Illinois Firefighters Association Government Affairs Director Margaret Vaughn in a press release. "Nearly 70 percent of these deaths are occurring in homes without working smoke detectors.

In order to address this horrific problem, the General Assembly passed 100-200, which requires Illinois residents to replace their old smoke detectors with the type that has a long term 10-year sealed battery by the end of 2022. This would apply to residents that are still using alarms with removable batteries or alarms that are not hardwired."

Since 1988, the Illinois Smoke Detector Act has required all dwellings to have smoke detectors, the new requirement just updates that law to reflect the changes in new technology, aimed at saving lives, while making it easier and more cost effective for Illinois residents to comply.

"With a long-term, 10-year battery alarm, there is no need for battery replacement; saving the average homeowner between $40-$60 in battery costs over the life of each alarm," said Illinois Fire Safety Alliance Executive Director Phil Zaleski. "At the end of the 10-year life cycle, the smoke alarm will actually tell the homeowner to replace the alarm. While many people deactivate their older model smoke alarms or remove the batteries while cooking, the 10-year model is not a cooking nuisance and has a 15-minute silencer button. They are also very affordable with the current retail price being about $15."

To learn more about protecting your family from smoke, fire and carbon monoxide, visit the IFSA website at www.ifsa.org or the First Alert website at www.firstalert.com.

State updates smoke detectors law