The City of Albany - California, USA Smoke Alarm Ordinance 2010-06

I encourage all Fire Chiefs, Fire Marshals, and Fire Officials to use any or all information as it pertains to the Albany Fire Department’s Staff Reports and City of Albany Fire Prevention Ordinance (below). We have all taken an oath, whether implied or expressed, to protect the lives of our citizens by employing the best fire prevention methods known and available.  Without a shadow of a doubt, this Ordinance will surely provide the best fire protection to your community. I want to thank the World Fire Safety Foundation (WFSF) for providing me with all the research information. Moreover, the WFSF put me in contact with nationally renowned Fire Protection Engineer, Richard Patton; and the two Ohio fathers, Dean Dennis and Doug Turnbull who tragically lost their daughters in separate house fires due to the failure of ionization alarms.  These three men attended the Albany City Council Meeting’s second reading of the Ordinance when they heard UL and Kidde were going to attend in attempt to try and block the Ordinance. Richard, Dean, and Doug assisted me in passing this paramount ordinance with an emphatic 5-0 vote from Council. This was a team effort and would not have been possible without their attendance, the WFSF’s research, and everyone’s encouragement.  Marc McGinn, Albany (CA) Fire Chief, 1992 - 2011

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When the City of Albany passed ordinance 2010-06 to mandate photoelectric smoke alarms, they made a stand for consumer safety.  A letter from the World Fire Safety Foundation letter was read by Chief McGinn at the opening of the second reading, exposing the ‘experts’ who contacted the Council to try and block the Ordinance.

World Fire Safety Foundation Letter to the Albany City Council

A Message from Albany Fire Chief, Marc McGinn

Chief Marc McGinn

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Download: Here > > >

Fire Safety Advocates

Dr Don B Russell, PhD, Texas A & M University:
“The smoke was there - it was scientifically measured. on both sides of the smoke detectors, it is clearly. thick and those smoke detectors weren’t going.  off . . . Their (UL’s) science isn’t any good. . .”

Richard Patton, F.P.E.
Chairman, World’s First Fire Detection Code:
“This is the test for the smouldering fire at. Underwriters Laboratories. They put ponderosa. pines sticks on a hot plate, heat it to 700 degrees,. create a type of smoke that will set the detector off.. So they have a false test for the smouldering fire.
test . . . This is why we have the confusion. . .”

Chief McGinn’s Closing Statement to the Albany City Council is: Here > > >

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“I am reminded of the theory of change
(or following), that the first is important,
but not as important as the second agent.
We can stand up, but if no one else follows,
people will still see the change askance.

The 2nd becomes the catalyst for people to
be willing to join in and after that it's off and
running as the change becomes "popular"
or "everyone else is jumping on board".

Marge Atkinson
Council Member

Farid Javandel
Vice Mayor

“I am an engineer and my wife is an attorney with a background in products liability. Between the two of us we
tend to do a lot of research and read all the fine print before making purchases. We consider ourselves fairly
well informed consumers. However, neither of us were previously aware of the critical difference between
photoelectric and ionization smoke detectors. When we built our home five years ago we hired a fire protection
engineer to design the sprinkler and interconnected smoke alarm system and there was no mention of the
different alarm types. I now need to replace a houseful of ionization alarms to include photoelectric alarms.

It is totally unrealistic to expect the average consumer to be a technical expert on the subject of smoke detectors.
As elected officials we have an obligation to establish ordinances that will help to inform consumers and ensure
that lifesaving photoelectric smoke detection technology will be present in all homes.”

“I was appalled when I heard Kidde
was going to be here and I was  appalled when I heard Underwriters  Laboratories was going to be here.   They are here for one reason. Profits.  They want to protect monetary  interest ... we want to protect your kids.”

Credit: Emilie Raguso