For Immediate Release

Thursday, Oct. 3, 2019

Media Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: john@jgpr.net

Enfield Fire Rescue Warns of Uncertified Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms Being Sold Online

ENFIELD — Chief Edward Richards reports that Enfield Fire Rescue has been recently made aware that a number of smoke alarms that are uncertified or falsely claiming to be certified are being sold online at Amazon.com.

The Vision 20/20 Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to fire prevention strategies, published a letter on Sept. 24 to warn fire departments that smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms that have not undergone the proper third-party safety testing are being made available for sale to the public online.

To view a list of smoke and CO alarms that are uncertified or falsely certified, click here. The sale of unlisted safety products violates Amazon policy and the Vision 20/20 Project is calling upon Amazon.com and other e-commerce companies to stop the sale of all unlisted smoke and carbon monoxide alarms immediately.

Fire organizations and consumer safety groups encourage the use of alarm products that are tested by a nationally recognized testing laboratory and certified to meet specific safety standards. If smoke or CO alarms do not undergo the proper testing to ensure they meet safety standards, there is no third-party verification that they will work properly when needed.

In addition, some companies with smoke or CO alarms for sale on Amazon were claiming that their alarms have been certified to meet the recognized safety standards, when they in fact had not been. As of Thursday, Oct. 3, each of the items falsely claiming to be certified on the Vision 20/20 Project’s list is no longer available on Amazon’s website.

Uncertified devices put the public at unnecessary risk as they may not detect the presence of smoke or fire, may not sound an alarm or may not activate within a sufficient time frame.

“It has been proven time and time again that smoke and CO alarms save lives and uncertified alarms are just as unsafe as not having alarms at all,” Chief Richards said. “We highly recommend that residents who have purchased or plan to purchase these types of safety devices online ensure that their product is properly certified and is not part of this list.”

ABOUT VISION 20/20 PROJECT:

Vision 20/20 is a project hosted by the Institution of Fire Engineers USA Branch (IFE-USA), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The Vision 20/20 Project is guided by a coalition of national organizations and experts showing how collaboration, communication, and commitment to data-based solutions saves lives and property.

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