Where There is Smoke....

I read some good advice many years ago which I'm passing along. It regards smoke detectors in the home. If you don't already have those ceiling mounted smoke detectors in your house or apartment, buy them. If you do have them, check that the batteries are still working.

The article that I read recommended changing the batteries when we change the clock for daylight savings time. We replace the batteries before two major holiday periods: Pesach and Rosh Hashanah.

Today's detectors not only signal when there is too much smoke in the air, signalling a fire somewhere, but also can detect carbon monoxide in the air. Carbon monoxide is the silent killer. You can't see it and by the time you figure out that something is leaking it, it's too late.

Jews in particular practice habits that put them at risk for fires in the home. We leave full candelabras of candles burning and head off for bed. Every yom tov uses candles in one way or another. We leave ovens on, sometimes 2-3 days at a time. We use blechs. We use crock pots for extended periods of time. We use hot water urns for extended periods of time.

Getting--and properly maintaining--a smoke detector is not only the smart thing to do: it's a life-saving necessity. Spending on these detectors is a smart place to put your money. The life you save may be your own, and that of your children, who succumb easier to smoke inhalation and carbon monoxide poisoning. Please, put the detectors on your "must buy" list and do it today. And yes, that is detectors in the plural--the larger your home, the more you need.