New Carbon Monoxide Law

Effective February 22, 2010, a new New York State Law known as Amanda's Law will take effect mandating the presence of Carbon Monoxide detectors in every home. The law was named after Amanda Hansen, a teenager whose life was tragically ended by a carbon monoxide leak from a defective boiler while she was sleeping at a friend's house in January 2009.

The Chiefs and members of the Locust Valley Fire Department would like to take this time to remind our community of this need, and also to ensure that all residents understand that existing Carbon Monoxide detectors carry a useful lifespan of 3 to 7 years depending on the model and manufacturer. The Locust Valley Fire Department responds to carbon monoxide alarm activations nearly every week of the year. Although many are malfunctions or simply a lack of understanding of LED messages or beeps, some this year have already been true levels of exposure. Your volunteers would like to remind you to take a moment to review your detector manual so you understand a few simple items you need to know. The age of your detector is of concern to the LVFD. A detector with an age beyond that of the manufacturer's recommendation may not work during an emergency. For this reason, homeowners should immediately replace it. When purchasing a new detector choices are not difficult. A name brand manufacturer, a UL listing for safety, an LED readout for piece of mind seeing "000", or even today's new voice activated alarms all make a suitable purchase. Prior to installing your Carbon Monoxide detector, the homeowner should mark the date of purchase on the inside, and also mark the month and year on the battery to serve as important reminders.