Elgin fire, elected officials want to educate about new smoke detector law in 2023

The Elgin Fire Department is giving away 100 smoke detectors - the new kind with sealed batteries - while starting the effort to educate residents about a new law going into effect in 2023.

Firefighters knocked on the doors of about 100 homes Wednesday afternoon in the neighborhood near fire station 6, 707 W. Chicago St., asking people if they had working smoke detectors and if they wanted a new one. Most who answered said they did; some invited firefighters inside to double-check, Fire Chief Dave Schmidt said.

The equipment came through a grant from the Illinois Fire Safety Alliance and First Alert. The canvass took place after a media event at the station attended by local legislators and other officials. The new law will require homes to have smoke detectors with sealed batteries that last 10 years, Schmidt said. The requirement will not affect residences with hard-wired smoke detectors.

The sealed battery smoke detectors can save money because there will be no ongoing battery expense, Schmidt said.

State Sen. Cristina Castro and state Rep. Anna Moeller, both Democrats from Elgin, took part in the event, as well as State Fire Marshal Matt Perez, Illinois Fire Safety Alliance Director Phil Zaleski and Illinois Firefighters Association Government Affairs Director Margaret Vaughn.

Last year, there were more than 100 deaths following residential fires in Illinois, the majority in homes without working smoke detectors.

To get a free smoke detector, residents can call Elgin Fire Station 1 at (847) 931-6178.