Recently, the Illinois Fire Safety Alliance donated 100 new First Alert 10-year battery smoke alarms to the St. Charles Fire Department for residents in need.
State and local fire safety experts joined local lawmakers at the St. Charles Fire Department to make the public aware of Illinois' new 10-year smoke detector law. Beginning January 1, 2023, single and multi-family homes that are still using smoke alarms with removable batteries are required to install new alarms that feature 10-year sealed battery alarms.
Properly working smoke detectors could mean the difference between life and death. “The fires we see today are significantly faster and more dangerous, due to hotter burning temperatures of synthetic materials and the toxic gases they give off. Where in the past, families might have had up to 30 minutes to escape, today they may only have a few minutes to get to safety,” explained St. Charles Fire Chief Scott Swanson. “Properly working smoke detectors can provide adequate warning while there is still time to escape.”
Back Row: Office of the State Fire Marshal JC Fultz; Illinois Fire Alliance Executive Director Phil Zaleski; State Sen. Karina Villa
Front Row: Mayor Lora Vitek; Illinois Firefighters Association Government Affairs Director Margaret Vaughn; State Rep Maura Hirschauer; and Fire Chief Scott Swanson
