The Knox Box - Fire Prevention Week & Other Concerns

[Henry]

Don't know if any of you remember my talking about "The Knox Box" or not, but Steve Bessette showed it to me when I was up at the Village Green.  The Fairfax Fire and Rescue have keys to this box, which in turn contains a key so they can enter the building.  I understand there are several in town and they use one key to get in to any of them, in case of an emergency inside the building.  Don't know if a person can get these installed on a private residence, but sure does sound like a good idea.  We lock our doors fairly early at night, so if 911 was called and only one of us was there and unable to get to the door, I guess they would have to break a window.

We have two people that have keys to our house, but this method certainly sounds like a great idea.

Channel 3 has also been having a few clips on Fire Prevention Week where they talk about Fire Extinguishers, Two Kinds of smoke detectors (One apparently not as good as the other) and carbonmonoxide detectors.  After watching the clips, I am left confused.  I have 4 smoke detectors and one carbonmonoxide detector.  The one fire extinguisher I have, I am sure is useless as we have had it since we built the house in the late 60s.

Does anyone know of a reliable place to buy fire extinguishers who could also make sure you purchase the right  fire extinguisher as well as the right smoke detector??[/b]

[PotterFXFD]

    Fire Extinguishers over 10yrs old should be replace or inspected. ABC extinguishers will handle most fire around the house. Make sure to read the directions and understand how to use it.(Unless they are big ones usually cheaper to buy new) J&L Hardware sells fire extinguishers, smoke detectors,CO detectors and since Jeff employees 3 or 4 Firefighters should be more than able to help people with these choices.

        The Knox boxes can be installed on any building in town, thru the fire department. I think the average price of a box is around $200.00. (I have price sheets if anyone is interested). Much cheaper and quicker to use than having to break a door or window to get in.

     We will be having a open house at the fire station this Saturday Oct.13 from 10-noon. If anyone would like more information on any fire safety stuff stop by and feel free to ask. We are also at the station every Tuesday night from 7-9pm.

                                                                        Chief Dean Potter

[NorthFairfaxBoy]

Henry,
Lets see if I can answer your questions.  There 2 different kinds of smoke detectors, meaning they way the see or sense the smoke.
There are numerous places to purchase extinguishers.  Considering they collect dust under most kitchen counters or basements, Walmart, hardware stores etc, sell inexpensive ones.  
If anyone has any other questions feel free to send me an email.  

wtrbryvtfire@yahoo.com

Brian Farris
FF1/FF2/FESI1
Vermont Fire Academy Instructor
Department Secretary
Waterbury Village Fire


The following info is courtesy of the Barre City Fire Department..

http://barrecityfire.org/smokeHowTheyWork.html

First is a Photoelectric: Photoelectric Smoke Detectors

Occasionally, you will walk into a store and a bell will go off as you cross the threshold. If you look, you will often notice that a photo beam detector is being used. Near the door on one side of the store is a light (either a white light and a lens or a low-power laser), and on the other side is a photo detector that can "see" the light.

When you cross the beam of light, you block it. The photo detector senses the lack of light and triggers a bell. You can imagine how this same type of sensor could act as a smoke detector. If it ever got smoky enough in the store to block the light beam sufficiently, the bell would go off. But there are two problems here:   It's a pretty big smoke detector.  It is not very sensitive.

There would have to be a LOT of smoke before the alarm would go off -- the smoke would have to be thick enough to completely block out the light. It takes quite a bit of smoke to do that.  Photoelectric smoke detectors therefore use light in a different way. Inside the smoke detector there is a light and a sensor, but they are positioned at 90-degree angles to one another, like what you see in the side picture.

In the normal case, the light from the light source on the left shoots straight across and misses the sensor. When smoke enters the chamber, however, the smoke particles scatter the light and some amount of light hits the sensor The sensor then sets off the horn in the smoke detector.

Photoelectric detectors are better at sensing smoky fires, such as a smoldering
mattress.  Photoelectric Smoke Detectors are usually identified by: The letter P  - or the word 'Photoelectric"

The other is Ionization detectors:

Ionization smoke detectors use an ionization chamber and a source of ionizing radiation to detect smoke. This type of smoke detector is more common because it is inexpensive and better at detecting the smaller amounts of smoke produced by flaming fires.
Inside an ionization detector is a small amount (perhaps 1/5000th of a gram) of americium - 241. The radioactive element americium has a half-life of 432 years, and is a good source of alpha particles.  

An ionization chamber is very simple. It consists of two plates with a voltage across them, along with a radioactive source of ionizing radiation.  The alpha particles generated by the americium have the following property:

They ionize the oxygen and nitrogen atoms of the air in the chamber. To "ionize" means to "knock an electron off of." When you knock an electron off of an atom, you end up with a free electron (with a negative charge) and an atom missing one electron (with a positive charge). The negative electron is attracted to the plate with a positive voltage, and the positive atom is attracted
to the plate with a negative voltage (opposites attract, just like with magnets). The electronics in the smoke detector sense the small amount of electrical current that these electrons and ions moving toward the plates represent.

When smoke enters the ionization chamber, it disrupts this current -- the smoke particles attach to the ions and neutralize them. The smoke detector senses the drop in current between the plates and sets off the horn.

Ionization Smoke Detectors are usually identified by:  The letter " I " -  The radiation symbol- or the word " Ionization",
you may also find "americium - 241"

[HayesFXFD17]

Just a quick note in regards to fire extingusihers especially for any of those reading this that may be landlords.  The current State of Vermont Fire Protection Standards require a minimum rating of a 2A-10BC extinguisher, this is most commonly refered to as a 5lb extinguisher.  The intallation of these extingushers shall be located alnong known paths of travel preferably near the exit, the top of the extingusher shall not be more than 5' above the floor. The requirement is one extingusher per rental unit but more is always acceptable.  Landlords, remember to annually have your extigushers serviced and tagged, it is a common missconception that a brand new extingusher out the box is acceptable, such is not the case as with private homeowners. 

Also rembember to change your smoke detector batteries with the upcoming time change.  EVEN if your detectors are A/C powered.  If the power goes out the battery will still proved adequate protection.

Justin Hayes
Assistant Chief Fairfax Fire Dept
Career Firefighter/EMT St. Albans City FD

[NorthFairfaxBoy]

Also as of October 1, 2007 carbon monoxide detectors are to be installed in rental units/condos.
They are to be hard wired with battery back up.

Brian

[Henry]

Thanks Dean, Brian & Justin,

Thanks to your info I was a little more knowledgeable of what they were talking about on Channel 3 last night -- I will try to see you at The Fairfax Fire & Rescue on Saturday morning and will most likely see some of the fire department down at J & L Hardware.  Will have to see what I have for smoke detectors.  I know the one down stairs is very sensitive to smoke as Ed Roupe was trying to solder a pipe and I couldn't even see any smoke and it kept going off, so took it down and brought it in the other room until he finished.