Kake elder credits smoke/carbon monoxide detector with saving her life
Kake elder Adeline Jackson didn't have a smoke or carbon monoxide detector in her home until last year. This past winter, she said the combination smoke-carbon monoxide alarm saved her life and the life of her adult son.
"Everyone should have it," Adeline said of the detectors. "It was quite a lifesaver. I recommend them for all houses."
In December, Adeline and her son were awakened at 4 a.m. when the detector went off. They found the house was full of smoke because the furnace back-fired due to too much soot in the exhaust. Adeline has an artificial knee and arthritis in her other leg, and her son is handicapped and hard of hearing. Hearing the detector gave them enough time to grab a coat and get out of the house.
"The detector saved our lives," Adeline said. "It was real bad. There was smoke all over. The whole place was smoky."
Charlotte Davis is a BIRCH AmeriCorps volunteer who works with both SEARHC Health Promotion in Kake and the state's Rural Alaska Community Action Program (RurAL CAP). Charlotte said Adeline and other residents of Kake received free detectors as part of RurAL CAP's Fire Smart Alaska program, which trains rural residents about how to install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and how to use fire extinguishers. The SEARHC Injury Prevention Department also provides detectors in communities not covered by the Fire Smart Alaska program.
"We want to make sure you and your family are safe, especially if there's an elder or baby in the house," said Charlotte, who said the RurAL CAP and SEARHC programs work together on fire safety.
The programs help residents design fire escape plans, which include putting elders and handicapped residents in ground-floor bedrooms so they don't have to fight the stairs. They also teach owners the importance of cleaning the exhaust flues so soot doesn't build up, which is what caused all the smoke in Adeline's house.
"We had it cleaned out and now we plan to have it cleaned every few months. It was learning time for me," Adeline said, adding that she likes the comfort of having a smoke/carbon monoxide detector mounted on the wall between her bedroom and her son's. "I feel safer every time I see it."
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SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium
