Smoke detector
Please post your comments and suggestions for this article.
Comment by Michael Girbino on December 15th, 2014 at 9:21 pm
The information presented regarding the studies conducted on smoke alarms in the 1990’by Texas A&M University an Dr. Larry Grosse and Don Russell Is incorrect, as it presents the results of the Ionization and Photoelectric smoke alarms during the flaming stages of a fire in reverse. I refer you to the executive summary of that very report entitled “The Results in Layman’s Terms”, published in a letter written on August 13th, 1997. The following is taken directly from that letter.
“During a flame ignition fire, the probability of a failure for the fusible link detector to detect a fire is
1 x lO-6 %. This means that the chance of a fatality is basically one in a million or a high
probability that the unit will not fail during flaming or high heat conditions. For the same type of
fire, the photoelectric smoke detector had a 3.99% probability of a failure to detect the fire while
the ionization smoke detector probability of failure to detect the fire is 19.8%.”
Please research this for yourselves. I am confident you will confirm these statistics.
It is critical the correct data is published so consumers, educators, fire service professionals and every day folks can be kept accurately informed.
Thank You for your consideration.
Lt. Michael Girbino, Fire Marshal
Mayfield Village Fire Department
770 S.O.M. Center Road
Mayfield Village, OH 44143
440-461-3802
Comment by Jennifer Tanabe on June 16th, 2015 at 3:08 pm
Thank you, Michael, for your feedback. You are correct and the article has been revised accordingly.
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