"It's no picnic all these years, I still have half a family," said Sheila Hackert who lost her daughter, husband and pet dog in a fire in their Rotterdam home back on May 31, 2001.
In April 2006, a U.S. District Court jury in Utica decided First Alert and its parent company BRK Brands had to pay millions to Sheila Hackert and her son because the design of their ionization smoke detector was defective and the company was negligent. That decision was upheld on appeal last spring.
Hackert said, "Do I get angry? Yes. Do I get frustrated? Yes."
The home's ionization detectors never went off, in what started as a slow smoldering fire. Those types of alarms are better at detecting fast-flaming fires. Photoelectric detectors are better at sensing smoldering fires. As we showed you during a test in part one of our report, photoelectric alarms went off thirty minutes before the ionization during a smoldering fire.
New York State Fire Administrator Floyd Madison said, "The dispute is in the home, you find more smoldering fires initially, then you find flaming fires which is why we have this controversy going around."
Unlike Vermont, which now requires photoelectric detectors be installed in new homes, New York State has no such law.
The president of the New York State Association of Fire Chiefs, Tom LaBelle says that's because flaming fires can happen anytime too.
LaBelle said, "The problem is you don't know what kind of fire you will have, so they're both useful."
Multiple agencies including the National Fire Protection Association have done extensive studies, recommending both detectors be used for max protection. And in a statement in response to this story First Alert, who will not comment on the Hackert case directly, recommends that people use both types or dual sensor smoke alarms on every level of your home in every bedroom. Firefighters tell us ionization detectors are found in most homes because they're the cheapest, running between five and ten bucks. Photoelectric alarms cost about twenty dollars.
But experts say the way to get the best protection is to buy yourself a combination detector. It has both photoelectric and ionization technologies. However it will cost you the most, it's about 30 dollars.
LaBelle says it's worth the investment. Acknoweldging, the multiple technologies have made things confusing.
LaBelle said, "I do think that we need to do a better job of educating people about the tools that are available to them."
Smoke alarm packages are clearly marked, with the letters "I", "P", or both. It's also important to note that any detector on the market has been tested and UL approved. But Sheila hopes after people hear her story, they'll think twice about what's in their home.
Hackert said, "You can train your children and your family to get out, but you have to be able to get out."
How do you know what you have in your home? Most smoke alarms have markings on the back or inside.
On top of smoke alarms with both technologies, firefighters urge everyone to have carbon monoxide detectors. And make sure you replace those batteries everytime you change your clocks.
