Each year we are reminded to "Change your clock, change your batteries", meaning either in the spring or in the fall that you need to change the batteries in your smoke detectors. There are numerous departments across the state that have received batteries to assist in going out and changing batteries for residents and even some are providing detectors to homes that do not have them. But yet you hear about fire fatalities and how it could have been prevented if only they had a working smoke detector that would have warned them early enough so they would have had a chance to get out. Personally I hear about them and think how unfortunate it is and move on to the next email or tweet and don't think much else about it.
The other night in the small town of Lake City, they had that scenario where 4 people died and doesn't appear that there were working smoke detectors in the residence. This one hit close to home. It is like most of the other calls where I could move past it but this town is where a lot of my wife's family lives. And yes, that was one of my first thoughts as the news was breaking the story was that it somehow involved one of them. Fortunately it was none of them involved directly, but Lake City is a small town and pretty much everyone is involved because they knew the victims directly, or know a family member of the victims. So I have paid a little closer attention to this story and feel bad for the family and community as it lost a young adult and 3 children.
I know that the town has rallied around this family as most small towns do in a time of need and have there daily needs taken care of. But yet, I still feel like I could try and do something. Maybe not so much for this family directly but to spread the word so maybe we can hear about a family saved by smoke detectors. Those stories are out there but don't get the headlines. I briefly spoke to the State Fire Marshal the other evening and asked him if he had made it to Lake City and he said that he had and such a tragedy but maybe something good can come from it.
So, here is my attempt to make something good come from this tragedy and to give to this family. I am asking all my friends, co-workers, and family to please make sure your smoke detectors are working properly. Make sure that you have changed your batteries in them at least once this year and you do it on a regular basis. If you have smoke detectors that are about 10 years old, think about replacing them. Most manufacturers recommend that you replace them every 10 years. Once you have taken care of yours, pass it along. It is that time of year when people are reaching out to others, so reach out and remind them to take care of their smoke detectors.
Thank you to everyone who takes the time to read this and then act upon it. Even more thanks if it gets spread either by forwarding the message or by word of mouth.
http://www.kcci.com/news/central-iowa/3-children-1-adult-killed-in-house-fire/-/9357080/17384698/-/11duicqz/-/index.html#.UKu80aeh41s.email
