Westborough Fire Chief On Statewide Effort Urging Residents To Check Smoke Alarms

WESTBOROUGH, MA — Westborough Fire Chief Patrick Purcell hosted a press conference on Tuesday to urge residents to check their smoke alarms.

Chief Purcell, along with State Fire Marshal Davine, Auburn Fire Chief Stephen Coleman, and other fire chiefs from across Massachusetts, joined forces on Tuesday. Fire officials are warning residents to check their smoke alarms.

In 2015, there was a fire code change, which required replacement smoke alarms to have a sealed 10-year battery life. The requirement reduced the likelihood that residents would disable the device after a fire alarm went off from cooking smoke or if they removed the batteries to use in another device. But many of those devices will become unreliable now that it has been 10 years since the change was implemented.

“Smoke alarms are like any other appliance – they don’t last forever,” said Chief Purcell. “Right now, the alarms that were purchased and put into service 10 years ago are reaching the end of their useful lifespan."

There are other press conferences scheduled for this month on Oct. 9 at the Brockton Fire Department and Oct. 29 at the Easthampton Fire Department.

"Our concern is that a wave of smoke alarms in homes across Massachusetts won’t be reliable in the months ahead," said Chief Purcell.

The State Fire Marshal’s office and Fire Chiefs Association of Massachusetts urge residents to follow these safety tips:

• Check the manufacturing date on the back of your alarms.
• Replace smoke alarms and CO alarms after 10 years, following the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Choose new smoke alarms from a well-known national brand.
• Ensure the replacement alarm features a sealed, long-life battery and a hush feature.

See Also:

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• Westborough Ranks Among Best School Districts In MA, New Ranking Says