SMOKEALARMWARNING.

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I EXPOSING FOUR DECADES OF MISLEADING THE PUBLIC

Ohio State Fire Marshal Saving Face or Saving Lives?

Larry Flowers, State Fire Marshal, Ohio, USA

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An Open Letter to:

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Cover & Contents WFSF Open Letter to Ohio State Fire Marshal Ohio SFM Interview Transcript - ABC NC5 IAFF Position and Court Cases Ionization Smoke Alarms Are DEADLY: Ionization Smoke Alarms Are DEADLY:

The World Fire Safety Foundation is a self-funded Non-Profit Organization founded in March, 2000. We do not sell anything. We do not solicit or accept donations.

The World Fire Safety Foundation

February, 2013

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15 February, 2013 Attention: Larry Flower, State Fire Marshall, Ohio USA

The World Fire Safety Foundation is a self-funded Non-Profit Organization founded in March, 2000. We do not sell anything. We do not solicit or accept donations.

(by certied & electronic mail) c.c. (by electronic mail): - Senator Bill Seitz, Ohio - Jenn Strathman, Consumer Investigative Reporter, ABC News Channel 5, Ohio - Bob Segall, Investigative Reporter, WTHR, Indiana - Jeff Rossen, Investigative Reporter, NBC, New York - Anthony Castelli Esq, Ionization Smoke Alarm Attorney, Cincinatti, Ohio - Jim Hacker Esq, Hacker Murphy, Ionization Smoke Alarm Attorney, Utica, N.Y. - Jim Fetterly Esq, Robins Kaplan Miller & Ceresi, Ionization Smoke Alarm Attorney, Minneapolis, Minnesota - Richard Taylor Esq, Taylor Martino, Ionization Smoke Alarm Attorney, Mobile, Alabama

Good Morning SFM FLowers

Ionization Smoke Alarms - Litigation Concerns

This letter is further to original copies of Ionization Smoke Alarms Are DEADLY articles sent to your ofce several months ago (reprints are included in last 6 pages of this document) and the expos on ionization smoke alarms by Jenn Strathman, ABC News Channel 5s investigative reporter that aired earlier this week.. The World Fire Safety Foundation (WFSF) is concerned that the claims you make (see page 3) could lead to needless deaths and open the ofce of the State Fire Marshal and yourself into potential litigious actions. In 2010 the WFSF worked with the Albany Fire Department who became the rst city in California to mandate the use of photoelectric-only smoke alarms. The precedence set by Chief McGinn lead to 4 other Californian Cities and ve cities in the State of Ohio also passing legislation to mandate the use of smoke alarms containing photoelectric technology. . . . to be completed.

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Ohios State Fire Marshal - Saving Face Or Saving Lives? Summary

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Ohio State Fire Marshals (False) Claims:

C l a i m 1 : . . . a working smoke detector gives folks the adequate amount of time to get ou t. C l a i m 2 : To say one or the other is better, we cant say that...

Results of smoke alarm test have some experts sounding an alarm, but not Ohio Fire Marshal
Extract from ABC News Channel 5 Investigative Report, 11 February, 2013

Interview Between: Jenn Strathman, Consumer Investigative Reporter, News Channel 5, Ohio, USA Larry Flowers, State Fire Marshal, Ohio, USA
Jenn Strathman: Do you think with an ionization alarm people have enough time to escape? Larry Flowers: In most scenarios yes. There are so many factors that take place. The contents of the room. Where they are in the room. Depending on how easy it is for them to get out. So there so many conditions of the residence. There are so many conditions of the sleeping area. There are so many conditions of a human that we believe in most cases thats true. There are so many various factors that enter into. Every re is different. The contents is different that its, were just are not comfortable in saying one is better than the other. But we know for a fact that a working smoke detector gives folks the adequate amount of time to get out if its properly installed and it has the battery in it and they have two ways out. Jenn Strathman: Which smoke detectors? Larry Flowers: Our message is a working smoke detector. Theres a lot of different technologies out there. Its gonna change in the future. We believe theres some new technologies we believe it is coming that people are working on. So our message has been, because we have such a large number of fatalities in Ohio without working smoke detectors, our message continues to be have a working smoke detector. Jenn Strathman: As part of this campaign will you be educating people on the two different types. Larry Flowers: Absolutely we will let people know that there are different technologies available and tomorrow there may be something that will come out thats even newer and maybe even effective in a different way. But you know every re is different, the contents of every room is different. To say one or the other is better, we cant say that, and because of the numbers we are having in Ohio, because the fatalities that we are having in Ohio our message we have to maintain the message to have working smoke detectors and as important, two ways to get out.

Larry Flowers
State Fire Marshal, Ohio, USA

Jenn Strathman
Consumer Investigative Reporter ABC News Channel 5, Ohio, USA

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IAFF and other quotes and information about NEOFPAs photoelectric education campaign to go here

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First Report, Summer 2011 - Reprinted from Australias The Volunteer Fire Fighter magazine - 1 of 3

Ionization Smoke Alarms Are DEADLY

There are two completely different types of smoke alarms:

The Ionization type are in almost every home. The Photoelectric type are in almost every commercial building.

I o n i z at i o n S m o ke A l a r m s a r e D E A D LY

Its time to tell the public the truth! . . .

Ionization smoke alarms may not operate in time to alert occupants early enough to escape from smouldering res.
Australasian Fire & Emergency Service Authorities Councils official position on smoke alarms, June, 2006
AFAC is the peak representative body of all Australian & New Zealand Fire Brigades:

www.theWFSF.org/afac

The public have been misled into believing that ionization smoke alarms are safe.
David Isaac, Standards Australia Committee FP002 Member, NSW, Australia, August, 2006
See the film, Ionization Smoke Alarms are DEADLY:

www.theWFSF.org
the volunteer fire fighter Summer 2011! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! page 35

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First Report, Summer 2011 - Reprinted from Australias The Volunteer Fire Fighter magazine - 2 of 3

Ionization Smoke Alarms Are DEADLY

I think the ionization alarm is responsible for as many as 10,000 deaths since 1990.
Chief Jay Fleming, Boston Fire Department Massachusetts, USA, December, 2007
Deadly Smoke Detectors TV series:

www.theWFSF.org/cbs

...the ionization alarms have failed* Australian Standards since 1993.

*Unable to pass the scientific tests for visible smoke

Darren Curtis, Senior Reporter Channel 9 News QLD, Australia, May, 2011
Australias Flawed Smoke Alarm Standard:

www.theWFSF.org/sa
See: 1. Channel 9, video: www.thewfsf.org/tourstory2 2. CSIRO Certicate of Conformity document on page 8

...all residential buildings should be tted with photoelectric smoke alarms. . .

Fire Protection Association Australia official position on smoke alarms, May, 2011
FPAA Position Statement:

www.theWFSF.org/fpaa

. . . its about recall: its about banning the ionization technology and only having the photoelectric technology.
Chief Marc McGinn, Albany Fire Department, CA, USA Today Tonight, Australia, June, 2011
Today Tonight story:

www.theWFSF.org/tourstory2
page 36! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! the volunteer fire fighter Summer 2011

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First Report, Summer 2011 - Reprinted from Australias The Volunteer Fire Fighter magazine - 3 of 3

Ionization Smoke Alarms Are DEADLY

For early warning and less nuisance alarms replace your smoke alarm with a photoelectric type.
Queensland Fire & Rescue Service (QFRS) brochure sent to every Queensland home, October, 2011
QFRS Photoelectric Campaign:

www.theWFSF.org/qfrspromo

The photoelectric type of alarm is strongly favoured by Fire Services everywhere

Mick Ayer, Assistant Director, Northern Territory Fire & Rescue Service, Darwin, NT, October 2011
NTs Photoelectric Legislation:

www.theWFSF.org/legislation_au_nt

I o n i z at i o n Alar ms are

S m o ke D E A D LY

Were going to tell the public the truth!

Check out our TV campaign. See how the VFFA and the World Fire Safety Foundation are going to tell the public the truth about ionization smoke alarms - and how you can help us.

Peter Cannon President, VFFA

VFFA TV Campaign:
www.NFPTV.com/vffa
the volunteer fire fighter Summer 2011! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! page 37

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Second Report, Winter 2012 - Reprinted from Australias The Volunteer Fire Fighter magazine - 1 of 3

Ionization Smoke Alarms Are DEADLY

Ionization Smoke Alarms are DEADLY

Australasian Tour II - 15 ~ 26 May, 2012
W A R N I N G ! There are two completely different types of smoke
Captain Russell Ashe Barre City, Ver mont , USA with his book, 'The Fire That Changed Ever ything' alarms, Ionization and Photoelectric (both can be battery or hard-wired). The Ionization type are in most homes. The Photoelectric type are in most commercial buildings You may think, Mine are OK - they go off when I cook - but dont be fooled, there is an almost 100% chance your alarms are the DEADLY ionization type.

Captain Russell Ashe

Medal of Honour Fire Fighter and Author

The Fire That Changed E ve r yt h i n g

t was a freezing cold morning in Vermont, USA - just one week before Christmas. Snow covered the ground and smoke rose from chimneys heating the homes of Barre City's 9,600 residents. The re call came in at 5:59am. The re engine roared into life as the reghters leapt on board. Shortly after leaving the re station the radio crackled with the message that sets every re ghters heart pounding: children were trapped in a burning home. When the re engine turned the corner into Eastern Avenue they saw Kimberley Stoltz-Foster's house. Smoke was billowing out of the windows and ames were leaping twenty feet into the air. Neighbours woken by the sirens poured into the street and were screaming that there were kids inside. In the emotion of the moment the re ghters decided to do what they must never do, enter the house without charged hoses. They knew they had to get those kids out. All four children were rescued from the burning home. Despite desperate attempts to resuscitate, all four children died. The house was tted with three hard-wired, ionization smoke alarms. They all failed to operate.

Australasian DEADLY Smoke Alarm Tour II

15 ~ 26 May, 2012
Captain Russell Ashe (above) was awarded a Medal of Honour after ' The Fire That Changed Everything' in Barre City, Vermont, USA in 2005. This tragic fire exposed the deadly flaws in the ionization type of smoke alarms in hundreds of millions of homes around the world. After Ashe performed an 'A q u a r i u m ' a n d f u l l - s c a l e smoke alarm tests, Vermont became America's first State to pass photoelectric smoke alarm legislation (see below). So why have fire fighters and the public not been warned that the ionization type of smoke alarm is now scientifically proven to be defective? Ashe is touring Australia and New Zealand in May, 2 0 1 2 w i t h t h e Wo r l d F i re Safety Foundation to warn about ionization smoke alarms and to promote the safe photoelectric alternatives. The tour schedule is here: www.thewfsf.org/tour2

Barre City, Vermont, USA: 17 December, 2005

Kimberley and her four children died in 'The Fire That Changed Everything'

After the re was out, Captain Russell Ashe dutifully tested the three ionization alarms - chillingly they all activated. So why had they all failed despite the thick, toxic smoke? This report gives a brief overview of the story behind the 40 year ionization smoke alarm fraud . . .

Photoelectrics Introduced
c. 1960 - USA

Photoelectric smoke alarms were protecting some U.S. homes and businesses.

Ionization Alarms Introduced

c. 1965 - USA

Ionization alarms were given the 'seal of approval' by Underwriters Laboratories (UL) after tests conducted inside ULs laboratories. Manufacturers claimed the new alarms would activate before there was any heat or smoke. Fire ghters across America were recruited to promote them.

Russell Ashe (4th from right) at the signing of USAs first photoelectric-only legislation Page 32 !

More information about the rst Ionization Smoke Alarms are DEADLY Australasian

Tour (May, 2011), the December 2011 report, this report and the lm, all by the same name, is available (with Internet links) at: www.theWFSF.org/vffa

Winter 2012 the volunteer re ghter

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Second Report, Winter 2012 - Reprinted from Australias The Volunteer Fire Fighter magazine - 2 of 3

Ionization Smoke Alarms Are DEADLY

The Report outlined a full-scale house re test urging Fire Chiefs to discover the facts for themselves. (see Barre City Fire Departments full-scale tests on next page.)

N.I.S.T. Report Published

1974 ~ 1976 - Indiana, USA

After thousands of people had been killed or injured in homes tted with the new ionization devices, calls were made for Government testing. The National Institute of Standard and Technologies, 'Indiana Dunes Tests' report revealed ionization alarms had only been tested in a laboratory - not in a real-world setting inside a house. T h e ' D u n e s Te s t s ' w e r e conducted in abandoned homes on the Indiana Dunes Wildlife Reserve. The average activation time for the ionization alarms in the smouldering stage of the res was over one hour. Many ionization alarms failed to operate at all.

Are Australian and US Smoke Alarm Standards Flawed?

We put 50 million smoke detectors in buildings in America in a two year period and our fire loss and death rate goes up.
Gordon Vickery, former head of the U.S. Fire Administration. Fire Engineering Magazine - Sept, 1980

Ionization Alarms in Australia

c. 1981 - Berowra, NSW

David Isaac, an electrical contractor, engineer and member of the NSW Bush Fire Brigade (now the NSW Rural Fire Service), installed two ionization smoke alarms in his home. However, when his home lled with thick smoke from a smouldering re the alarms never sounded. He did not understand why.

The public have been misled into believing that ionization smoke alarms are safe.
David Isaac, Standards Australia C o m m i t t e e F P 0 0 2 f ro m t h e f i l m , Ionization Smoke Alarms are DEADLY, NSW, Australia - August 2006 (more about Mr Isaac on next page).

I think the ionization alarm is responsible for as many as 10,000 deaths since 1990.
Chief Jay Fleming, Boston Fire Department, MA, USA - Dec, 2007

Smoke Detector Fraud Report

1976 - Ohio, USA

Fire Protection Engineer and chairman of the world's rst residential re detection standard, Richard Patton, distributed 3,000 'Smoke Detector Fraud Reports' to US Engineers and Fire Chiefs.

Underwriters Laboratories (UL) is, so to speak, in bed with the smoke alarm manufactures.
Richard Taylor, Senior Partner, Taylor Martino Attorneys, Mobile AL, USA from the report, The Defect in Smoke Alarms - August, 2009

David and Katherine Isaac Feb, 2010 after her recovery.

(see Davids quote in right column and his attempt to rectify the flawed Australian Standard on next page)

I.A.F.C. Publishes Warning about Ionization & Combo Ion/Photo Alarms

Sept, 1980 - California, USA

Its about recall: its about banning the ionization technology and only having the photoelectric technology.
Chief Marc McGinn, California, USA, Australasian DEADLY Smoke Alarm Tour I, national Australian TV - June, 2011

After years of controversy, the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) published their 'Residential Smoke Alarm Report' urging re chiefs to only recommend photoelectric alarms. They warned ionization alarms, ". . . might be so slow to operate in a smoldering fire that lives may be in danger." The IAFC also warned about combination ionization/photoelectric alarms, ...what is to be gained by adding an ionization element to a good photoelectric element? In the sub-committees opinion, nothing. the volunteer re ghter Winter 2012

Almost 10 years later, in Tamworth NSW, Davids daughter Katherine (7), received burns to 50% of her body in a horric re (not related to smoke alarms). She suffered many full thickness (3rd degree) burns and spent six months hospitalised. Over the next four and a half years, Katherine underwent fourteen reconstructive plastic surgeries. David's personal experience of the horric suffering that is often caused by re is the reason he is a passionate advocate for all homes to be tted with photoelectric smoke alarms. ! ! ! ! !

...the ionization alarms have failed* Australian Standards since 1993

Darren Curtis, Channel 9 News, QLD, Australia - May, 2011 *Unable to pass the scientific tests for visible smoke

Defendant UL was negligent or wanton . . . by failing to formulate and implement safety standards for ionization smoke alarms that required ionization smoke alarms to detect slow smoldering fires in a timely manner . . .
Hosford vs BRK Brands Inc, Underwriters Laboratories Inc; et al, Taylor Martino Attorneys, Mobile, AL, USA - Dec, 2011

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Second Report, Winter 2012 - Reprinted from Australias The Volunteer Fire Fighter magazine - 3 of 3

Ionization Smoke Alarms Are DEADLY

Ionization smoke alarms may not operate in time to alert occupants early enough to escape from smouldering fires.

Silent Alarms Documentary

Jan, 2000 - Toronto, Canada

Canadian TVs (CTV) awardwinning documentary reported on the landmark Mercer law suit after US$16.3M was awarded in punitive damages for, Failing to disclose the known limitations of the (ionization) detector to the consumer.

WFSF Smoke Alarm Disclosure Requests Ignored

2007 ~ 2012 - Australia

Aquarium and Full-Scale Tests - Vermont, USA

June, 2006 - Barre City, Vermont

The WFSF requested numerous manufacturers to disclose the level of smoke their ionization smoke alarms activated under Australias (awed) Smoke Alarm Standard. No manufacturers responded.

World Fire Safety Foundation Aquarium Test

2000 ~ 2012 - QLD, Australia

After former reghter Adrian Butler and Karl Westwell saw 'Silent Alarms', they co-founded the World Fire Safety Foundation (WFSF) to warn re ghters and the public about the serious defects with ionization alarms. The Foundation developed the 'Aquarium Test' to demonstrate to Fire Brigades how ionization smoke alarms fail to activate in thick smoke during the early, smouldering stage of a re. After seeing the Aquarium Test and research material provided by the WFSF, the Australasian Fire & Emergency Services Authorities Council (AFAC) commissioned the Victoria University to produce a report on global smoke alarm research.

WFSF sends specications of full-scale testing (which were extracted verbatim from the IAFCs 1980 report), to Captain Ashe at Barre City Fire Department. Tests were aired by Vermont's number one TV station, WCAX. In Jan, 2009 Vermont enacted A m e r i c a s r s t S t a t e - w i d e, photoelectric-only legislation.

Christmas 2011 Tragedies

Dec, 2011 - QLD, Aust, CT, USA

Captain Ashe performing USAs first 'Aquarium Test'

During Christmas 2011, two horric res in the USA and Australia made headlines around the world. The Golinski re in Queensland, Australia - 3 sisters and their mother died. The Badger re in Connecticut, USA - 3 sisters and two of their grandparents died. Gary Siljac, chef and neighbour of Australian celebrity chef Matt Golinski, wrote to his smoke alarm manufacturer. Gary asked them to disclose the level of smoke the ionization alarms in his Tewantin home activated under Australian Standards scientic testing. Garys request was ignored.

C.A.N. Report
Feb, 2007 - QLD, Australia

Fire Brigades Ofcial Position on Smoke Alarms Released

June, 2006 - Melbourne, Australia

AFAC, the peak representative body of all Australasian Fire Brigade's ofcial position states,

WFSF report, 'Recommending Selling or Installing Ionization Smoke Alarms, A Criminal Act of Negligence?' is published. The C.A.N. Report warned that failure to adequately disclose the known limitations of ionization smoke alarms may be deemed a Criminal Act of Negligence.

Gary Siljac's (Matt Golinskis neighbour) Smoke Alarm Disclosure Request Ignored

14 Feb, 2013: Mr Siljacs request for information continues to be ignored

Is Australias Flawed Smoke Alarm Standard the Key to Exposing the 40 Year Ionization Smoke Alarm Fraud?
When Mr David Isaac (Standards Australia Committee FP002) appeared on National TV in October 2004, he concurred with the World Fire Safety Foundations allegations about the life-threatening defects with ionization smoke alarms. The Foundation subsequently gave Mr Isaac extensive global research, dating back to the mid 1970s, substantiating the life-threatening defects with ionization smoke alarm technology. In 2008, Standards Australia published a draft to correct the existing, awed Smoke Alarm Standard. Empirical scientic evidence shows if the draft is adopted into legislation, ionization alarms would fail the revised Standard. If this were to happen, this could be a catalyst for a ban and recall of ionization technology from all homes globally. Despite repeated attempts, the correction to the Standard remains blocked . . .

David Isaac - Standards Australia Committee FP002 from the film, Ionization Smoke Alarms are DEADLY.
Mr Isaacs statements about ionization smoke alarms have not been challenged or refuted.

. . . how many more lives will be needlessly lost while the truth about ionization smoke alarms continues to remain hidden from the public and our firefighters?
Page 34 !

Winter 2012 the volunteer re ghter

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