Check of smoke detectors should be part of every routine
Being overly sensitive has benefits.
For instance, a new smoke detector installed in the kitchen blares at even the mention of smoke. That’s better than good as smoke detectors save lives.
A New Year’s Day dinner included seared salmon topped with mayo, ketchup and garlic sauce then wrapped by two toasted pieces of fresh bread. (No sweet relish in fridge).
Anyway, before the sandwich accompanied by collard greens became worthy of placement on the Nassau Street Seafood Produce Co. or Bonefish Grill menus, a small plume of smoke slipped out of the toaster.
The fresh bread had slumped against a toaster filament which caused the aforementioned smoke that irked the smoke detector.
What a glorious sound. Great to know that while people, politicians and pessimists disappoint, a working smoke detector comes through in a pinch.
Point made — not that this toast would endanger lives — remains that working smoke detectors save lives.
According to the U.S. Fire Administration, which works for a fire-safe America,
•Three out of five home fire deaths result from fires in properties without working smoke alarms
•More than one-third (38 percent) of home fire deaths result from fires in which no smoke alarms are present.
•The risk of dying in a home fire is cut in half in homes with working smoke alarms.
Sure, we despise working smoke detectors that rant when raisin toast burns.
We worry about what neighbors think and our arms tire from waving a dish town near the darn device but at the end of the day? Right, smoke detectors properly installed and maintained — save lives.
The new year should include a smoke detector safety check. Come on, this is life and death stuff. Five minutes tops.
Residents of Trenton can receive free smoke detectors from the Trenton Fire Department.
Call the Fire Prevention Office at (609) 989-4036 or (609) 9894037 Monday to Friday or visit Fire Headquarters at 244 Perry Street. ********
People living in residential apartments inherit issues from other tenants including a crucial element of smoking.
One man’s cigarette amounts to another person’s potential loss of life.
While Trenton lawmakers delivered an ordinance that outlawed smoking in city parks, they should enact laws that produce smoke-free public housing while influencing landlords to sign off on similar restrictions for tenants.
Finally, Franklin St. in Chambersburg includes a 20-apartment building named Lindo Apartments.
Unfortunately, while Trenton boasts a “sanctuary city” initiative, most if not all Lindo Apartments residents are Spanish-speaking residents who may not know their rights as tenants
It’s imperative that city officials deliver an immediate inspection of this building to ensure satisfaction of all code requirements, including working smoke detectors.
East Ward Councilman Joseph Harrison, at-large representatives Kathy McBride, Jerell Blakeley and Santiago Rodriguez, as well as city inspectors, are being asked to support this endeavor.
Smoke detectors save lives.