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PROVIDENCE – Mayor David N. Cicilline, Fire Chief George S. Farrell and state fire officials today urged residents to take important life-saving steps to protect their families from carbon monoxide poisoning and other potential dangers in their homes. The Providence Fire Department is also launching a public awareness campaign in Providence Schools on the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning is and offering to install free carbon monoxide and smoke detectors in the homes of families who cannot afford to purchase them.
On January 7, firefighters discovered the bodies of three Providence residents in their South Side home, including a 9th grade Met School student. The victims died of carbon monoxide poisoning caused by an improperly installed heating system in their home.
“With the loss of these three individuals, Providence experienced a terrible tragedy and the most heartbreaking aspect of this incident is that it was totally preventable,” said Mayor Cicilline. “We are here today to send a critically important message: a $25 device is all it takes to keep this from ever happening again.”
“Although most people have smoke detectors in their homes, hundreds of people nationwide die from carbon monoxide poisoning each year,” said Chief Farrell. “This dangerous gas can only be detected through early warning devices that alert residents to lethal levels of carbon monoxide.”
The Fire Department is taking steps to help protect residents from carbon monoxide poisoning by offering to install free carbon monoxide detectors in the homes of low-income families and elderly Providence residents. Those interested in taking part in the program should contact the Providence Fire Department’s Fire Prevention Hotline at 243-6034. Two-hundred of the life-saving devices were generously donated by Benny’s and First Alert and Ocean State Job Lot has also committed to helping the City secure additional detectors.
“What happened in Providence is such a heartbreaking tragedy,” said Arnold Bromberg, Vice President, Benny’s. “The best way families can protect themselves against this deadly gas is to install carbon monoxide alarms. We hope providing these alarms will help make an immediate impact in the community.”
The Fire Department also has thousands of smoke detectors available through a federal grant program for families who cannot afford to purchase them.
In an effort to increase awareness of the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning, the Fire Prevention Bureau will also be reaching out to families in the coming weeks through an educational program in Providence public schools.
“Targeting students is a very effective way of reaching out to adults in our community, especially those parents who speak languages other than English,” said Mayor Cicilline.
Carbon monoxide is an invisible, odorless gas that is often referred to as the silent killer. It enters the body through breathing and its symptoms are often confused with flu-like symptoms, food poisoning and other illnesses. According to the National Fire Protection Association, most carbon monoxide incidents happen during the winter months when furnaces, space heaters and other fuel burning devices are in use.
Chief Farrell reminded residents that under Rhode Island law, homeowners and landlords are required to have carbon monoxide alarms in their homes. Residents were also urged to take the following steps to keep their families safe:
§ Install carbon monoxide detectors in your home outside of sleeping areas
§ Make sure that heating systems are installed by licensed professionals with the proper permits from the City’s Department of Inspection and Standards
§ Never use an oven or grill to heat your home
§ During and after snowstorms, make sure vents for dryers, furnaces, stoves and fireplaces are clear of snow build-up
§ Know the difference between the sound of a smoke detector and carbon monoxide alarm and remember that a smoke detector is not a substitute for a carbon monoxide device
§ Call the Fire Prevention Hotline number at 243-6034 if you have any questions about carbon monoxide
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