Smoke Detectors Save Lives

The Iowa Department of Public Health’s Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner (IOSME) and the State of Iowa Child Death Review Team today announced endorsement and support of the 100 Years, 100% smoke detector campaign, initiated by the Iowa Department of Public Safety’s Division of the State Fire Marshal. The 100 Years, 100% campaign’s goal is the installation of at least two working smoke detectors in the homes of Iowa school children in grades kindergarten through 6th-grade by the end of this year.

“It is our hope that by supporting and communicating the scope and purpose of the 100 Years, 100% campaign we can educate Iowans about the importance of smoke detectors and how they do save lives,” said Iowa Chief State Medical Examiner, Dr. Julia Goodin. “Preventing the deaths of children is investing in our future. By working together with the State Fire Marshal’s Office, we hope to increase the number of working smoke alarms in Iowa homes and keep Iowa’s children healthy and safe.”

“Every agency we work with is emotionally affected by a young life cut short because of fire,” said State Fire Marshal Ray Reynolds. “We know this is preventable and we won’t stop our efforts until children stop dying in fires in our state.”

According to the National Fire Protection Association, nearly 3,000 Americans die each year in house fires. In Iowa, 185 deaths associated with fire were reported from 2006 to 2010. Of these deaths, 31 involved children under the age of 18. According to IOSME and the Iowa Child Death Review Team, in just over half of these deaths (18), it was determined that the children’s homes had no or an inoperable smoke alarm. These sudden and tragic child deaths could have been prevented if only a working smoke detector was present in these homes to alert occupants of the presence of a fire.

For more information about the 100 Years, 100% campaign, visit www.dps.state.ia.us/fm/main/smoke_detector_project/PDFs/MediaPacket.pdf. For information about the IOSME, visit www.idph.state.ia.us/do/medical_examiner.asp.