Baltimore County, MD County Archive, 1 Jan 2008

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From YouTube: Smith and County Officials to Announce Deadline for Installation of CO Detectors

Description

At a press conference, Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith, along with Fire Department Chief John Hohman, Health Department Officer Dr. Gregory Branch, and Permits and Develpoment Management Director Tim Kotroco, will announce the fast approaching October 15 deadline for installing CO (carbon monoxide) detectors in rental units that have fuel-burning appliances.

In 2009, Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith introduced and the County Council approved legislation amending the Livability Code that applies to rental housing requiring owners to install carbon monoxide detectors in the common areas outside of each sleeping area. Under the new law, CO detectors must be installed in all rental properties, including those built prior to January 1, 2008 and therefore not covered under the state law.

The Fire Department considers CO one of the most serious home safety issues. CO prevention efforts focus on installation of CO alarms, programmed to sound an alert when CO levels are very low. CO is an odorless and invisible gas that replaces oxygen in the blood and attaches to red blood cells 200-250 times more easily than does oxygen.

A

Bc up front we're here to press conference in towson where baltimore county, executive, Jim, Smith and councilman kevin cabinets are reminding residents and landlords of an important new law that takes effect October 13th, requiring that carbon monoxide detectors be in place in all rental units in baltimore county Kenny, executive Smith. Can you tell us why this is important a little bit about the law? Well,.

B

It's important because actually our carbon monoxide poisonings, not necessarily resulting.

A

B

Resulting in dangerous health conditions has increased significantly since 2005 we're up to over 1,200 such incidents as of last year. So this is an issue that is very, very critical to the public, health and safety of the people who live here so and and it's one of those things that it's a preventive measure. It's something that prevents the danger carbon monoxide poisoning from happening and from having an effect.

B

So, as you pointed out as of October 13th, that every rental unit is required to have a carbon monoxide detector outside the sleeping areas in the common areas outside the sleeping quarters of apartments. And it's it's all the big apartment complexes and it's also all the individual rental units throughout the county. Councilman.

A

Kevin Kamenetz as a leader on the Baltimore County Council. This was an important initiative, for you tell us a little bit about why we're seeing this increase in carbon monoxide poisoning, as well as what responsibilities the tenants have in addition to the landlords. Well,.

C

I'm not sure I have the expertise to say why there's an increase, but I was listening to the county executives comments, and it strikes me that over the past several years, we've done a good job at encouraging people to be more energy efficient in their homes, sealing up their windows, filling drafts and, as a result, fresh air is not leaking into the home and that results in more incidences of carbon monoxide poisoning. This law is good because it's encouraging not just residents who live in rental units, but also homeowners to put carbon monoxide detectors.

C

There I also appreciate the way the law was drafted, that it makes the tenant have responsibility for assuming a battery replacement and making sure that the unit is otherwise maintained and in operating order. So I give great credit to the landlords who want to ensure the safety of their tenants and in an energy efficient unit. But at the same time we want all homeowners and rental residents to assume responsibility as well. Well,.

A

This public safety initiative really was a collaboration of a number of baltimore county agencies. So thank you all for this important measure.