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By kykidd
@kykidd (6812)
United States
January 8, 2008 11:08am CST
"The smoke detector industry is covering up research showing more people are injured every year falling from ladders and stepstools while trying to replace smoke detector batteries than are injured in house fires."
Interesting fact sent to me on one of my other lists.
2 people like this
5 responses
@howard96h (11640)
• New York, New York
8 Jan 08
I believe it. When the super of my building installed the detectors and put them on the ceiling, it is too hard to get to when your cooking. I have since moved mine and put it on the wall as high as I can reach so when I cook I remove the battery and when I am finished I always put the battery back in it. It still works fine being on the wall and it goes off with the slightest hint of smoke.
4 people like this
@Wario_1 (965)
• Sweden
8 Jan 08
Wow, thats some sencitive stuff Howard, if my mother had such a sencitive fire detector back then,i think our neighbors would have called the police or something because all the noise it makes.
Fire detectors are loud for a good reason, but the dangerous thing was that i almost got used to it, not quite what the designers were thinking.
3 people like this
@tyc415 (5706)
• United States
8 Jan 08
That is a very interesting fact. I haven't heard of this one yet. Makes you wonder why this happens, if it is carelessness or bad prouducts they are using to climb on. I know there are many times I just use a chair instead of a ladder or stepstool and my dining chairs have rollers, not a good idea but more convenient at the time.
I wonder what can be done to impove things.
3 people like this
@Wario_1 (965)
• Sweden
8 Jan 08
Yea, there is alot of stuff that is not directly suitable for standing on, think people often just take any random thing that looks sturdy enought. Majbe its cause of convenience or that they don't have any good ladders. Whatever the reason its better to get something good than to nosedive from something not suitable to stand on. I also find this facts humerous.
2 people like this
@shaggin (72288)
• United States
7 Feb 11
LOL thats kind of funny in a way. I guess people need to be more careful on ladders. Smoke alarms are very important to have in homes I'd rather take the risk of falling off a ladder then having my house burn down with my family and I inside it. My ceilings arent tall enough that I need a ladder to reach the smoke alarms.
1 person likes this
@kykidd (6812)
• United States
9 Feb 11
Thanks shaggin, it was originally listed as humor. My dry sense of humor found my self rolling in the floor laughing at this one actually. You're right though, it is worth the risk of falling off of a ladder to have your smoke detectors in good working order.
Thank you for your response and have a great day!
@pastorkayte (2255)
• United States
9 Jan 08
How funny is that, well it just goes to show that you can pretty much get killed doing everything, but for those who do not die trying to replace the detector I would still suggest they buy one and install it in thier home so that thier children have protection too.
2 people like this
@Wario_1 (965)
• Sweden
8 Jan 08
Thank you for writing this fact, very interesting to know more people get hurt while changing some batteries than being caught in house fires. At first it sounds really wierd, but it majbe has something to do with many smoke detectors are placed in hard to reach areas, if that was true that would explain alot.
3 people like this
