Why Ionization Smoke Alarms Should Be Banned - Part 2
with U.S. Consumer Advocate, Joe Gagnon, Michigan Ohio, USA and World Fire Safety Foundation Chairman, Adrian Butler, Queensland, Australia
Aired live  on WAAM TALK 1600 Radio Michigan, USA  27 Feb 2016
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There are two main types (technologies) of residential smoke alarms:
- Ionization (in over 90% of homes) and
- Photoelectric.
Both may be either battery or hard-wired with a battery back-up.
In the last week of December 2015 a smoldering fire occurred in the home of Tim Burton from Canton, Michigan. The ionization smoke alarms in his home failed to activate despite the house being filled with smoke.
Burton was unharmed and both he and his brother Todd immediately replaced their existing smoke alarms with a new ones.
However, despite the story being aired on TV no one told Tim that the reason his alarm failed to sound was because it was an ionization alarm. Ionization smoke alarms are proven to fail in the early, smoldering stage of a fire.
Hear World Fire Safety Foundation Chairman, Adrian Butler explain:
1. Why ionization smoke alarms do not work in the early smoldering stager of fires,
2. Why the head of all Australian and New Zealand fire departments warns that ionization smoke alarms should be banned, and
3, Why the International Association of Fire Chiefs warned (in September 1980) that the public should have stand-alone photoelectric alarms, and not combination ionization/photoelectric alarms.
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- More (including Part 1):
www.SmokeAlarmWarning.org/joegagnon.html

- International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) Sept, 1980, 'Residential Smoke Alarm Report' (warning about ionization alarms):
www.TheWFSF.org/iafc

-  International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Oct 2008 Position:
(The IAFF only recommend photoelectric, not combo ion/photo alarms)
www.TheWFSF.org/iaff

- Australasian Fire & Emergency Service Authorities Council (AFAC) June 2006 Position:
(AFAC only recommends photoelectric,  not combo ion/photo alarms)
www.TheWFSF.org/afac


Why Ionization Smoke Alarms Should Be Banned - Part 2

The World Fire Safety Foundation (WFSF) was founded in March 2000. Our mission is to save lives by exposing the life-threatening defects with the ionization type of smoke alarm in hundreds of millions of homes around the world and advising of the photoelectric/optical alternatives.
The WFSF believes the scientific test data the Australian government's CSIRO is withholding from the public, without just cause, is the key to banning and recalling ionization smoke alarms and thereby saving thousands of lives globally.
www.SmokeAlarmWarning.org
Note: The Foundation is self-funded and does not solicit or accept donations.


Why Ionization Smoke Alarms Should Be Banned - Part 2

WorldFireSafetyFoundation