Smoke Alarms
 

We are very fortunate that our Fire Department will replace our old smoke alarms with newly purchased alarms. I called the Fire Department this morning at 9:45 and a fireman arrived at our home at 10:30. He installed the 3 new alarms in 10 minutes. He would not take tip. We gave a donation to the Fire Department. A great service!

What's next, shine shoes?
The fire department's job is to turn fires off, I always thought!

They do this as a public service. Many of us are kind of old to get up on ladders.

They have replaced batteries for us.

BTW guy recently doing this, is doing this as his full time job with FD.

They do it to prevent seniors from climbing ladders and falling.

One of the best allocation of resources there is. It’s much cheaper to send out a guy to change out batteries/detectors than it is to dispatch a medic engine and ambulance when one of us old farts falls off the ladder.

There are three VPSD open houses scheduled for the near future. If you think all the VPSD does is put out fires then you should definitely take the opportunity to learn more about them.

The fire and rescue services here are top notch. Hopefully you will never need their services. And no, they don't shine shoes !

Really?

Yes really.
Ever heard of a handyman?
Oh wait, it involves paying. :1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

We’re paying them 24 hours a day regardless. Doesn’t matter if they’re putting out fires, responding to a medical call, sitting at the station house watching tv or changing a smoke detector battery. The benefits of having a dedicated fire department.

Our taxes are already paying the guy to do this and who knows probably has saved a life or two or three

Taxes!
1/100,000,000,000 of your cent, probably.
Guy changing batteries while a fire is raging next door. :eek:
I can see it now, Sanitation guy coming into your house to sweep! :thumbup:

Is it better to have homes without working smoke alarms?
I have to stand on top rung of my 6 ft ladder to replace the battery. Since the FD offers to do this as a public service why not take advantage of it.

BTW we moved here from Roanoke Va and they did this also. My daughter in DC has this service available as well.

Wrong, a fire departments job is fire safety. Fighting a fire happens when safety was not followed or has failed

in nyc the fd enters burning buildings.
Outside of the city volunteers put water on the fire but dont enter . Each municipality has different approaches and criteria

Quote:

Originally Posted by I'm Popeye! (Post 2124192) What's next, shine shoes? The fire department's job is to turn fires off, I always thought!

(groan)

As Mom used to tell us, "you'd complain if you were hung with a new rope".

Firefighters installing new smoke detectors or changing batteries in current ones may avoid serious injury to the owner if he/she falls off a ladder and breaks a bunch of bones in the process.

Even more importantly, it may avert a death or deaths if the smoke alarms weren't working, the house catches fire, and the occupants weren't awakened in time to get out.

Turn Fires Off???
 

The fire department is here for “Public Safety “
Not sure how you turn off a fire lol

I asked why they come out in the fire truck for this service and was told if a call came in they would leave immediately for the emergency call and return later to finish the battery replacement later. I think this is a wonderful service offered by our community! Thanks for your service!

Actually fighting fires is a small percentage of what your fire department does. Among many other things, they do inspections, safety training, education, fire prevention, etc. But, the biggest component in the jobs they do every day is running EMS calls. Especially within the target rich environment of The Villages. And yes, ensuring that residents have properly working smoke detectors is a valuable service they offer.

How anyone could complain about the VPSD performing this service is beyond me.

Back to the topic.

Smoke alarms lose effectiveness after ten years. If you live north of 466 (approximately) please consider replacing your smoke detectors.

Also, there are three types of detectors:
-Photo electric
-Ionization
-Dual (both technologies)

USFA position on home smoke alarms.

The first thing we did when we bought this house was to replace the smoke alarms with 10 year battery models. ( I had two extra so I installed them in my neighbors house)

As I understand it, The Villages builder only installs the ionization type smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors in new houses. No photoelectric sensors. So, they are not following the USFA recommendation.

"Because both ionization and photoelectric smoke alarms are better at detecting distinctly different yet potentially fatal fires, and because no one can predict what type of fire might start in a home, the USFA recommends that every home and place where people sleep be equipped with either (a) both ionization and photoelectric smoke alarms, or (b) dual sensor smoke alarms (which contain both ionization and photoelectric smoke sensors)."

Not even close to funny.

No they are not, that is why I posted this lifesaving tip. They are, however, following code.

It is more important (than the type of smoke alarm you have) to replace your detectors after ten years

Can't help it. Sanitation guy sweep. Our guy does the dishes and cleans the windows.
BE SURE TO ASK THEM ABOUT THIS SERVICE.

Actually we have both smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors. The carbon monoxide detectors only last about 4 years. I am too stubborn to admit I am this old. Must be a problem with the mirror, In any case with the proper ladder an 8 foot changing the battery and changing a smoke detector or carbon monoxide detector is truly simple.

A truly simple solution, buy an 8 foot ladder. You will need it to change light bulbs etc. A newer ladder will have a sign NOT to stand on the top steps.

If, you read the posts, there are people HERE and perhaps everywhere that COMPLAIN. Far more important are those who see a problem and POLITELY offer a solution.

So where were you two years ago when I bough the wrong ladder?:)

In any case we pay for this thru our taxes so why not take advantage of this service

We checked with the sanitation guy when he came to sweep our back yard, and driveway.
He gave us a free 8' ladder as part of the service! :thumbup:

Did you give him a nice tip for Christmas?

Thank You All Emergency Personel
 

We will NEVER know All , the great things this group of people actually do.
Thank You One and All
Mark O’B

With that logic can we call them to clean our gutters as well?

HaHa.. I think we can all agree that smoke detectors fall under the purview of fire safety? Fire departments perform functions of fire safety. Nobody requires you to have gutters. They aren't required by code. But, hey, if you want someone else to laugh at you give the fire department a call and see if they'll come clean your gutters.

I posted about the service for smoke alarms thinking people would want to know about a very nice service. I give up there are a lot of people that their IQ is lower than the room temperature.

Which county are you in.? Will Sumter County replace fire alarms? What is their phone numbet.?

You performed a very valuable service and who knows might have saved a life or one of us old folks from a nasty accident.

I pay for my services, keep me off your from your Cheapskate list... :ho:

Maybe they'll send a nurse to wash diapers next time. :yuck:
The key word to all this is getting it for "F R E E".

I did not get it for free! I made a donation to the fire dept, because they are not allowed to accept tips. Believe me I am far from cheap.