Why the Smoke-Detector

Program Failed
Richard M. Patton

In the May/June issue of the NFPA were required to prevent smoke inha- Why didn't the smoke detector
Fire Journal, an article appeared en- lation deaths. The heat detectors pre- solve the problem?
titled, "What Kills In Fire: Smoke Inha- vented burns only, not smoke inhala- 1.The 1966, issue of NFPA Stan-
g
Aation or Burns", authored by Beatrice tion deaths, it was claimed. dard No 74, which required that a
liarwood and John R. Hall, Jr. These The logic then followed that detector be installed in every room,
authors leaned heavily on fire loss since the vast majority of fire deaths was correct. The code revision to allow
statistics compiled by the National were caused by smoke inhalation (toxic "spot" protection, (for a home to be
Center For Health Statistics. Included gases), it was more important to detect protected with only one or two detec-
with the text was a "Table 4" which smoke than it was to detect fire (heat) tors), guaranteed that a fire would
provided a compilation of fire deaths with a heat detector. These ludicrous grow to killing size prior to detection.
caused by structure fires within the claims, distortions of the reality of fire, 2.The smoke detectors marketed
U.S. from 1970 to 1985. This data is were wrong yet they were believed. were cheaply manufactured, prone to
listed below. false alarms, and subject to a very short
It is the Hot Fire that Kills useful life.
Deaths Due to tires 3. The public perceived the
in Structures, 1970-1983 The flaming fire causes proba-
bly 99% plus of all fire deaths primar-
smoke detector to be a "nuisance de-
vice" because of unreliability and false
ily by creating toxic gases. Smoldering alarms. Therefore, it was not only
Year Deaths Year Deaths (only) fires seldom, if ever, produce improperly maintained, but often was
the level of toxicity required to destroy intentionally silenced.
1970 4,450 1978 4,926 life. (See Crusade article, Which Fire
1979 4,553 1979 4,926 Kills, The Hot Or The Smoldering?) The Legacy of a Failed Program
1972 4,806 1980 4,801 Which detector detects this deadly type
1973 4,555 1981 4,710 of fire? They both do, but there's much From the year 1966, until the
1974 4,515 1982 4,371 more to the story. present at least 125,000 people have
1975 4,568 1983 4,136 burned to death in buildings, too many
1976 4,901 1984 4,185 The Smoke-Detector Program of them being young children. Per-
1977 4,967 1985 4,159 has Failed haps 30,000 to 75,000 of these would
never have died if provided with
There are two very important The second thing that needs to proper and correct information on fire
matters that need to be discussed re- be said about the statistics shown above protection for the home.
garding the statistics and the article. is that they provide firm evidence that
First is the issue of "death by the smoke detector program has failed The Technology to Virtually
smoke" vs "death by burns". Except to to achieve the goals anticipated for it Eliminate Fire as a Threat to
the scientist, does it really matter if the in the 1970s. Man flas Been Available for
flames or the smoke killed? Yet this During the period when 80% of
Decades
issue has been converted into a cause the homes in the U.S. became equipped
celebre by flawed thinking within the with smoke detectors, the number of In the 1990s, major steps must
fire protection community. deaths due to fire failed to go down be taken to reduce fire deaths in the
significantly.The loss statistics show home. What is needed to reduce the
that the smoke detector, as presently death toll is for the public to be pro-
Facts About Fire Are Distorted vided with full information and access
to Increase Detector Sales installed, is providing at best a 10%
greater probability of esape from fire to the solutions.
The "smoke" vs "flame" issue became in the home than no protection at all
a component of a marketing plan for Richard Patton is a Fire Protection Engi-
Restating this, of every ten who would
smoke detectors some years ago. The neer and is President of Crusade Against
die with no protection at all, nine will
false idea was put forth that because Fire Deaths, Inc., 7525 Auburn Blvd, Suite
die with smoke detectors installed on
smoke detectors detect smoke, they a "spot" basis. 4, Citrus Heights, CA 95610.

24 • California Ma Journal • March • 1990