The C O – Experts “Circle of Protection”

 

A Personal Note on Home Fire Safety from George E. Kerr, President / Founder of G. E. Kerr Companies, Inc., who has been involved in the development and marketing of Early Warning Detection Products for residential fire and gas detection safety since 1953.

Twenty-five years ago at a Home Show in Little Rock, Arkansas, I was working in a booth at the Little Rock Annual Home Show, which was a "Joint Venture" between G. E. Kerr Companies, a local Sprinkler Installation Company and the US Fire Administration. We were Exhibiting the Newest Concepts in Residential Fire Suppression Systems available at that time. We were featuring: the New "Fast Acting" Sprinkler Heads, including a new automatic "on / off" Sprinkler Head, along with two of my patented residential fire suppression products: the Fire-Aid One, the only UL-Listed residential fire hose and extinguisher cabinet, with or without, electronic notification capability and Fire Fox, a new fully automatic residential kitchen range hood fire extinguishing system, which at that time was also the only UL-Listed product of its kind on the market.

The local TV Reporter was very impressed by my presentation to her on these new "Protect Yourself" home fire protection systems and said: Mr. Kerr, I assume that you believe that these new products represent the greatest advances in fire safety in the last 100 years".

When I responded: " NO, I DID NOT SAY THAT", she almost dropped her microphone and Leroy, the Sprinkler Company Owner gasped ... "WHAT ?". I then said: The Greatest Advancement in Home Fire Safety in the last 100 years is the availability of Good, Dependable PHOTOELECTRIC Smoke Detectors and accurate, dependable Carbon Monoxide detectors, at a price everyone can afford". In 1985, as today, the sequence of actions required to obtain maximum home and personal safety is:

1. EARLY WARNING DETECTION, it is EARLY DETECTION that saves lives, NOT SPRINKLERS, in one & two family homes. Early Detection is also what gives YOU the TIME / Opportunity, not only for safe escape, but it also gives you the TIME / Opportunity to EXTINGUISH YOUR FIRE SAFELY, and Immediately, ..... because YOU ARE "On the Spot". Install a photoelectric smoke detector in EVERY room of your home except the bathroom.

2. NOTIFICATION, get everyone else OUT of the house & call, or have someone else call the Fire Department IMMEDIATELY  ! ! ! 

3. ON the SPOT, Fast Attack Fire Suppression, Immediately use your Personal Fire Extinguishing Equipment, as Instructed and PRACTICED. Successful Suppression is VERY Likely.

4. IF Extinguishment fails, GET OUT IMMEDIATELY, ..... YOUR LIFE CAN NOT BE REPLACED  ! ! !

Never Forget, ..... when your Fire Department says: "Fast Attack", they mean the first thing THEY DO when they finally arrive at the scene of YOUR fire, 4 or 44 minutes later.

When I say "Fast Attack", ..... I mean what YOU CAN DO in the FIRST 4 SECONDS after you discover YOUR FIRE. There is a HUGE difference in LOSS REDUCTION and Suppression SUCCESS.

Fire extinguishers successfully extinguish 98% of the fires upon which they are used.

Fire spreads 1100% or more in the FIRST 4 Minutes, only YOU can STOP it BEFORE it spreads.

Most Importantly always remember, if you look at YOUR FIRE and even THINK, "Can I put this fire out, or can't I, ..... YOU CAN'T, ..... just GET OUT AT ONCE  ! ! !

-------------------------

Fire-Aid One, "Your First-AID Against Fire", should be installed in EVERY HOME regardless if the Home has a Residential Sprinklers System or not.

WHY take a chance of excessive water damage or possible Sprinkler System failure.

Never forget, FIRES can start at anytime 24 hours a day, 365 days a year; HOWEVER, MOST FIRES, [ 95%+ ], START WHEN SOMEONE IS AT HOME !

Harry Shaw, former Residential Sprinkler Program Director, and long time Residential Sprinkler Consultant said it BEST, I quote:

"With the RIGHT Smoke Detection System, and "FIRE-AID ONE", or other adequate "On the SPOT, FAST ATTACK, FIRE SUPPRESSION EQUIPMENT IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE, a Residential Sprinkler System SHOULD NEVER ACTIVATE."

From now on, ..... for the REST of YOUR LIFE, EVERY TIME you hear the 4 letter word FIRE, don't think F - I - R - E, ... THINK .....T - I - M – E.

EARLY DETECTION is the DIFFERENCE between a FRIGHT and a FUNERAL, TIME is the DIFFERENCE between SUPPRESSION SUCCESS, and a TOTAL LOSS.

ONLY YOU, can choose which of the following will be YOUR FIRE EXPERIENCE.

In a Home NOT PROPERLY PROTECTED:

1. Smoldering TIME

2. Ignition TIME

3. Discovery TIME

4. Evacuation TIME

5. Notification TIME

6. Fast Attack Fire Suppression TIME

7. Fire Dept. Response TIME

8. Set-Up Time by Fire Dept.

9. Fire Dept. Suppression TIME

10. Clean-Up TIME

11. Reports TIME

12 Finding Temporary Living quarters TIME 13. Insurance Settlement TIME 14. Repair, Relocation or Moving TIME 15. Readjustment, acceptance TIME ..... maybe NEVER Does it not make a LOT MORE SENSE to replace the above, with the following in a FULLY PROTECTED HOME:

1. Smoldering TIME

2. Discovery TIME

3 Fast Attack Fire Suppression SUCCESS

With the PROPER Installation of Smoke Detectors, Open ignition will VERY SELDOM OCCURS [The NEW Model 1070 C O - Experts Low Level C O "Health" Monitor is probably the BEST SMOKE DETECTOR IN THE WORLD TODAY TO DETECT FIRES IN THEIR EARLY, SMOLDERING STAGE.]

To successfully extinguish of a FIRE that is still in the "Smoldering Stage", is usually quite quick and easy.

Consider the following FACTS:

from pages 44 & 45 in the Federal Fire Report called: "FIRE IN THE UNITED STATES"; which was compiled by and for, the U.S. Department of Commerce, The U.S. FIRE ADMINISTRATION and The National Data Center.

1. 95% of all fires start when someone IS AT HOME. [If arson or suspicious fires were eliminated it would result in someone being at home over 99% of the time.]

2. 83% of all fires start between 7 A.M. and 10 P.M..

3. Of all fires ONLY 8 % are put out by fire departments.

4. Females of the household put out 50% of all fires, Males of the household put out 30%, fire departments put out 8 % and children, neighbors, a "passer-by" or "Self-Extinguished / Oxygen Depletion" account for the remaining 12 %.

TIME ..... is the answer for fire suppression SUCCESS.

Fires seldom start as BIG FIRES, ..... they start as small fires and become BIG FIRES only because they are NOT DETECTED and SUPPRESSED IN TIME.

The PROOF of this is so obvious because regardless of how much equipment, how advanced the fire department training, or how dedicated the firefighters, ..... there comes a "TIME" in fully engulfed fires when all they can do is back off and throw water at it to keep the fire from spreading further, ..... the original structure is a TOTAL LOSS.

The EARLIEST POSSIBLE DETECTION, and DEPENDABLE, PROFESSIONALLY DESIGNED "Fast-Attack" Fire Suppression Equipment IN THE HOME ..... is the ANSWER to SAVING MORE LIVES and REDUCING RESIDENTIAL FIRE LOSSES.

 

Photoelectric Smoke Detectors,  Battery, or Electric, BBU. Multi-location, interconnect, [with or without a relay, available at extra cost]. Eliminates kitchen "Nuisance" / "False" alarms. This is superior protection from smoldering fires. This is REAL smoke & fire protection for your ENTIRE house, INCLUDING your kitchen. I personally know of NO ONE, [except in my family], that actually has a Smoke Detector in EVERY ROOM of their homes, except the bathrooms, as the National Fire Protection Assoc. now, FINALLY, after ignoring the issue for 30 years, [Contributing to the unnecessary deaths of thousands of American's, in order to pursue their own vested interests in other segments of the fire protection industry], is now FINALLY also recommending a Smoke Detector in EVERY room except the bathroom. A detector in every room is a position that I have fought for since day one of our information gathering process for the "America Burning" Report of the National Commission on Fire Prevention and Control during the late 60's and early 70's.

Also, we need to move completely away from the cheap ionization sensors toward installing nothing except Photoelectric Smoke Detectors. Repeated Studies by CPSC and "The Woodlands" Project have proved without question, that Ionization Smoke Detectors are responsible for 32 out of 33, [ 97% ] of all Smoke Detector False Alarms. My Advice is to NEVER buy an ionization type Smoke Detector for your HOME.

Please feel free to ask me more about these important issues.

 

Every HOME should also have a good "Fast Attack" Fire Suppression Plan

and the right equipment for successful extinguishment.

http://www.coexperts.com/fire%20ext.JPG

To see a brochure on Fire-Aid One, "Your FIRST AID against FIRE", see:

http://www.coexperts.com/missing.pdf 

 

Additional pictures: http://www.coexperts.com/fire%20ext.JPG

 

I urge you to make sure that you have obtained all of the types of products described in the CO - Experts 

“C O - Experts "Circle of Protection" .

 

1. CO - Experts Low Level CO "Health" Monitor. Real Protection from Chronic Low Level CO Poisoning, and extremely valuable data storage "Time Lines" of the CO exposure, [high, time of exposure, duration of exposure and resulting COHb in the average human body]. Warnings and "Hush" / "Hush Overrides" at 10,25,35,50, & 70 PPM. This Monitor features full "Fail-Safe" design, monitored sensor & "End of Life" warning. CO - Experts provides the VERY BEST Carbon Monoxide protection presently available. In addition, the increased Smoke / Fire protection provided is a HUGE BONUS.     

 

Review the outstanding Features of the C  O - Experts Low Level C  O "Health" Monitor .....  Benefits NOT offered by any other C  O alarm in the World.

 

Warning Levels & cycles:         
0 to 9 PPM ......... No Warnings
10 to 24 PPM ..... 2 Beeps a minute
25 to 34 PPM ..... 2 Beeps every 20 seconds
35 to 49 PPM ..... 2 Beeps every 10 seconds
50 to 69 PPM ..... 2 Beeps every 6 seconds
70 PPM & "HI" ... 4 Beeps every 6 seconds


Hush Button Cycles:  

10 PPM … up to 24 HOURS      
25 PPM ... up to 60 Minutes
35 PPM...  up to 60 Minutes
50 PPM ... up to 60 Minutes
70 PPM ... up to 4 Minutes

When the "Hush" is employed, the audible alarm is silenced for the designated period of time; however, the visual display continues to constantly show the current level of CO present.
IF, after any "Hush", the CO levels present continue to rise to the next higher level, the Monitor will immediately OVER-RIDE the "Hush" and reactivate the audible alarm at the higher, faster, level of warning. [Unless, or until, the "Hush" button is pushed again.]

Digital Display Data Recall Features:  

      
Prior to Recall, Display will constantly display the Current CO Reading from 10 PPM Up.
After pushing "Recall / Test" Button, Display will show "Cur" followed by
the Current CO Present if 10 PPM or Higher.
Display then displays "HI", followed by the Highest CO in PPM recorded since the last time the Data Storage was Cleared.
Display then displays "OCCUr", followed by the Elapsed Time in Hours & Minutes since Peak Reading Exposure Occurred.
Display then displays "dur", followed by the Duration of Time in Days, Hours & Minutes that the CO Exposure.
Display then displays "COHb" followed by the % of Carboxyhemoglobin that would have accumulated in the Blood Stream of the Average Person.
Display then returns to Display the level of CO Present in the Monitor if 10
PPM or more. If C O Present is under 10 PPM, the Display will be Blank.
TO CLEAR the STORED DATA, simply HOLD the TEST BUTTON DOWN CONTINUOUSLY for 12 SECONDS [until you see the "flashing "d", [days], after you see the "Occur" on the Display Screen], then when the Recall Sequence is Completed, the Monitor will sound a long single "BEEP", and the Display will Show "CLr", indicating that the Stored Data has been CLEARED, and the next time you test your Monitor you will receive NEW stored data from the previous test, to this test.


Failure Warnings:        
Low Battery Warning: Display will show "bAT" for 5 seconds each minute as the Monitor Beeps a single Beep, and the Green L E D flashes once a minute. Electronic Error Warning (Including excessive sensor drift): the Display will show "ERR" for 5 seconds each minute, as the Monitor Beeps a single Beep and the RED L E D flashes once a minute.
At the end of "Life" of the Monitor, it will "Beep", Flash the RED L E D, and the Display will show "Sensor End".

 

DO NOT be fooled by a cheap imitation of CO - Experts that provides NO data storage "Time Lines" of the Carbon Monoxide exposure, and lacks the numerous warning levels, the hush  & hush override cycles, the accuracy, total sensor & systems self-monitoring, end of life warning and many other benefits provided only by CO - Experts Low Level CO "Health" Monitors.

 

2. Photoelectric Smoke Detectors,  Battery, or Electric, BBU. Multi-location, interconnect, [with or without a relay, available at extra cost]. Eliminates kitchen "Nuisance" / "False" alarms. This is superior protection from smoldering fires. This is REAL smoke & fire protection for your ENTIRE house, INCLUDING your kitchen. I personally know of NO ONE, [except in my family], that actually has a Smoke Detector in EVERY ROOM of their homes, except the bathrooms, as the National Fire Protection Assoc. now, FINALLY, after ignoring the issue for 30 years, [Contributing to the unnecessary deaths of thousands of American's, in order to pursue their own vested interests in other segments of the fire protection industry], is now FINALLY also recommending a Smoke Detector in EVERY room except the bathroom.

A detector in every room is a position that I have fought for since day one of our information gathering process for the "America Burning" Report of the National Commission on Fire Prevention and Control during the late 60's and early 70's. Also, we need to move completely away from the cheap ionization sensors toward installing nothing except Photoelectric Smoke Detectors. Repeated Studies by CPSC and "The Woodlands" Project have proved without question, that Ionization Smoke Detectors are responsible for 32 out of 33, [ 97% ] of all Smoke Detector False Alarms. Feel free to ask me more about these important issues.

 

3. Natural Gas or Propane Gas Detectors, using long life sensors, sounds a Warning at less than 25% LEL, [Lower Explosive Limit], giving you ample time to evacuate the building. Available with a relay to shutoff the gas supply at extra cost. Installation of these detectors is a "No Brainer" because the sensors used in these products have the longest useful life of any sensor except HEAT and NDIR sensors. Because of the very broad percentage of sensor "Drift" permitted by the U L Approval Standard for combustible gas detectors, [UL-1484], this detector can provide protection within the Standard's acceptable levels for 12 to 15 years.

The best possible Early Warning Detection, the "On the Spot, Fast Attack" fire suppression capability provided by Fire-Aid One and most importantly, Training your Entire Family to THINK PREVENTION & SAFETY.

I want to make it VERY CLEAR that I still DO NOT endorse UL-2034. It is BADLY FLAWED, and UL has had absolutely NOTHING to do with the improved CO Alarms now being made by several of the more Consumer "Safety Minded" CO alarm manufacturers. Like the other positive changes occurring in the C  O alarm Industry, these improvements are a DIRECT RESULT of the Passion and Dedication of a few "Life-Safety" Professionals, Media Attention, [especially in Canada], and large, successful Liability Lawsuits in the USA.