SALISBURY, Md.- Back on Jan. 1, 2018 the state of Maryland issued a fire law requiring all residences in the state to switch over from battery-operated smoke alarms to tamper-resistant detectors. Starting Oct. 1, 2018, the state is now enforcing that law.
The new alarms include tamper-resistant backs and are equipped with lithium ion batteries that last up to 10 years. Those batteries are pre-sealed so they cannot be taken out.
"Smoke alarms, you know, we've come to ignore them when they're chirping and beeping. We've taken the batteries out, we've used them for toys and remote controls. And what that ends up doing is costing someone their life," said David Cropper, a Rommel's ACE hardware employee, and nine-year volunteer firefighter."
He cannot stress the alarm's importance enough.
"Time counts in a fire, every second counts, and that's a second that you're not in there or I don't have to worry about going in to search for you that's life preservation across the board for you, me, everyone," Cropper added.
But even though the law is in place and being ready to be enforced, smoke alarms directly wired to a home or building are exempt from the law.
"That's because the main power source is an outside power supply. Therefore that battery that's in it is only being used as a back up," Cropper said.
Cropper also added Rommel's ACE Hardware in Salisbury doesn't sell the old smoke detectors anymore. And as of January, the new units have been flying off the shelves.
