BY WILLIAM F. BOWMAN
Last year, Louisville Fire & Rescue undertook a citywide study to examine fire incidents, fatalities, and medical responses in neighborhoods with high numbers of incidents. One neighborhood stood out in our six-year study (1994-1999).
Specifically, an eight-block square of our city encompassing 967 dwellings recorded 1,824 responses during the study period (603 were fire related; the remainder were medical responses). Fire property loss in this area approached $1 million. Although there were no recorded fire deaths, there were 18 fire-related injuries.
The study also revealed one inexcusable fact. During this period, the city-at-large experienced 24 fire fatalities in dwellings that had missing batteries or dead batteries in the smoke detectors. Smoke detector legislation enacted by our city in 1977 definitely ap-peared to be inadequate. Single-station detectors allowed by that ordinance had been in place since the legislation passed but were no longer providing the needed protection. The National Fire Protection Association’s Web page “Alarm Age Fact Sheet” outlining failure rates for detectors provided the impetus for our city to take immediate actions.
Fire Marshal Donald D. Cummins recommended this program to Chief Gregory W. Frederick. With the strong support of Louisville’s Mayor David L. Armstrong, Cummins and the chief began to update local smoke detector legislation. The intent was twofold: First, prevent the removal of batteries from these life-saving devices. (The detectors specified under the revised ordinance would contain batteries that would not fit or operate other appliances; the tamperproof feature of these specified smoke detectors prevents removal of the batteries.) The second objective was to reduce the time and need for annual property visits by our suppression forces to install detectors or batteries. We could accomplish these goals with the 10-year life of these single-station detectors.
The proposed amended ordinance re-quired smoke detectors with 10-year tamperproof lithium batteries in single-family dwellings that did not include the Council of American Building Officials (CABO) requirements for hardwired smoke detectors. The requirement for owner-occupied single-family dwellings would become effective at the time of sale or at the real estate closing of a home from seller to buyer.
The revised ordinance also required apartment owners to change to the 10-year lithium detectors whenever current 9-volt single station detectors were found without batteries or with dead batteries or if the detector had been removed or damaged in any way. In addition, the property owner was responsible for installing the 10-year lithium battery detectors on change of tenants for apartments protected by the old-style, 9-volt single station detectors. Again, if the codes required hardwired smoke detectors to be installed on construction, this change did not supersede that requirement. After consideration by the Louisville Board of Aldermen, the ordinance passed and became local legislation effective October 1, 2000.
In an effort to kick off the new smoke detector program, the Mayor’s Neighborhood Enhancement Team (MNET) was created. The team consisted of members of the department’s Fire Prevention Bureau and suppression forces working in partnership with other city agencies. Along with Louisville Fire & Rescue team members are representatives of Solid Waste Management; the Department of Neighborhoods “Operation Brightside”; the Louisville Police; the Department of Inspections, Permits, and Licenses; and Data Processing. The goal of the team is to install smoke detectors and to inform residents of services from participating agencies.
Shortly after the first neighborhood was completed, the team picked up a corporate partner (Lowe’s Home Improvement Centers). Lowe’s provided financial assistance to help offset the costs of the smoke detectors. It also provided a more generous gesture by the “Lowe’s Heroes,” who volunteered their time and helped to install the detectors. Lowe’s representatives and members of Louisville Fire & Rescue’s Training Academy compiled a video of joint activities performed by the team in the second neighborhood. Lowe’s then submitted the video as its entry in a companywide contest for the Best Corporate Citizen award. Of the 550 competing stores, Louisville’s Lowe’s won the first-place prize of $10,000. Lowe’s presented the prize to Chief Frederick and Mayor Armstrong on Valentine’s Day 2001. The award will be used to purchase additional smoke detectors for future MNET areas.
To date, the team has canvassed more than 5,000 homes in five neighborhoods and has installed approximately 1,700 of the 10-year tamperproof lithium battery smoke detectors. We are now defining the boundaries of the next targeted neighborhood and hope to continue the project throughout the city.
The aforementioned 24 fire fatalities may have been spared had their detectors had an adequate power supply or if the batteries had not been removed and used in other appliances. The entire community is beginning to understand that fire prevention is not just the work of the Fire Prevention, Suppression, Training, or Communications Bureau. It is the entire community’s job. We are pleased to have joined efforts in meeting the department’s ultimate goal of “zero” fire fatalities in the first year of the new millennium and hope to do so into the future.
