The Fayette Tribune, Oak Hill, W.Va.

Local News

June 18, 2012

Common sense

New law regarding detectors should be employed statewide

A new state law has taken effect requiring that carbon monoxide detectors be installed in all commercial dwelling units, health care facilities and other structures where people sleep.

The law also requires that smoke detectors be installed and maintained in private one- and two-family dwellings.

This is a positive safety measure for West Virginia, although it took a tragic incident at a South Charleston motel last winter — out-of-state construction worker died and several other people were stricken ill following a carbon monoxide leak — to spur the change to code.

What is a bit baffling, though, will be the issue of enforcement in private dwellings.

West Virginia State Fire Marshal Sterling Lewis said hospitals, long-term care facilities, dormitories, boarding houses and other commercial structures fall under his agency’s purview and they will be checked.

But private residences are another story. The fire marshal’s office has no authority to inspect and that would leave it up to local governments.

That seems more than just a bit tricky to us.

Again, the installation of any type of detector that would save human lives is a no-brainer. But, as much sense as it makes, making people do it in their own homes is a tough one.

We’d all like to think local code inspectors would have the time, but that task just isn’t possible unless you are going to hire a workforce similar to the one that is employed during census years.

In other words, it isn’t going to happen.

What can happen, though, is for us, along with firefighters and emergency responders, to keep reminding the public about the common sense approach to have functioning smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in any type of inhabited structure.

That can and will be done.

 

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