The ‘Crusade’ is a non-profit organisation that brings together fire engineers, fire-fighters environmentalists, lawyers, researchers and many others from around the world.

The ‘Crusade’ is a non-profit organisation that brings together fire engineers, fire-fighters environmentalists, lawyers, researchers and many others from around the world.

The Crusade’s purpose is to: 1) Alert the public about fire safety issues.2) Change Fire Code/Standards testing to reflect real-world events. Join us and help ‘Stop The Children Burning!’

The Crusade’s purpose is to: 1) Alert the public about fire safety issues.2) Change Fire Code/Standards testing to reflect real-world events. Join us and help ‘Stop The Children Burning!’

Copyright, T.I.C.A.F.D. January, 2005. File Name: ‘ConsumerAlert-SmokeAlarmsFail.pdf’ Last Updated: 27 Jan 05. Latest version of all Crusade documents at: cc www.JoinOurCrusade.com/docswww.JoinOurCrusade.com/docs

After going through these court cases we dealt with a few big companies and we noticed that all of them are hiding and sneaking and keeping things from the public that the public need to know about in order to remain safe.”

Nathan Mercer, ‘Silent Alarms’ (story on pages 1 & 2)

“

CONSUMER ALERT !CONSUMER ALERT !CONSUMER ALERT !

SMOKESMOKESMOKEALARMSALARMSALARMS

FA I L !FA I L !FA I L !FA I L !

.www.JoinOurCrusade.com/docs .www.JoinOurCrusade.com/docsDownload the latest version from:‘Cons umer Aler t-SmokeA lar msF ai l.pdf ’ Was Last Updated: 23 Jan 05

PLEASE HELP SPREAD THIS MESSAGESend this document to ALL your friends and family,

so together, we can - Stop The Children Burning!

c T.I.C.A.F.D. Dec 04

Watch ItWatch It

Today!Today!

Just 16Just 16Minutes!Minutes!

A S S E E N O N T VA S S E E N O N T V

‘STOP THE CHILDREN BURNING’ SOUNDS THE ALARM ON THE COMMON SMOKE DETECTOR

‘STOP THE CHILDREN BURNING’ SOUNDS THE ALARM ON THE COMMON SMOKE DETECTOR

TH E COVER UPTH E COVER UPEndorsed By:

New ZealandSafety Council

S TO PS TO PS TO P

BURNINGBURNINGBURNINGTHE CHILDRENTHE CHILDREN

T H E F I L M T H A T I G N I T E D A C R U S A D E

THE COSTTHE COSTTHE COST

IS YOUR FAMILYIS YOUR FAMILY

Class Action ‘Silent Alarms’ reported the story of another couple who were awarded US$50 million because “...two of their children died when their [ionisation] detector failed to warn them of a fire”. It also explored a class action law suit that “...could be worth half a billion dollars”. The most disturbing feature was watching the ‘real world’ scientific testing of ionisation smoke alarms performed by Dr Don Russell, a world smoke alarm expert. Over four separate tests the average failure rate was 81%.

A Current Affair In September 2004, the Austral ian TV program ‘A Current Affair ’ showed a fire industry representative who stated that in a smouldering fire, “...it’s unlikely the [ionisation] smoke alarm will work”. (More on page 2.)

‘Silent Alarms’ Silenced! The above court cases are a small sample of many cases settled out of court with

WHAT SHOULDI DO NOW?

WHAT SHOULDI DO NOW?

1) Watch ‘Stop The Children Burning’ (just 16 minutes). Find out what type of alarms you need, why you need them and where to put them.

1) Watch ‘Stop The Children Burning’ . Find out what type of alarms you need, why you need them and where to put them.

(just 16 minutes)

confidentiality orders. ‘Silent Alarms' was silenced due to litigation - so we made a film that could not be silenced!

Please Watch It! (16 minutes) After the film we hope you will fully protect your family and join us (it’s free), so together we can STOP THE CHILDREN BURNING!

Ionisation alarms are radioactive - manufacturers claim they are ‘safe’. Is this true? To find out more, watch our film and read the ‘Warning Radioactive’ document www.JoinOu rCrusade.com/ docs

If you are relying on these alarms for the early warning needed to survive a fire... YOU ARE AT RISK!

If you are relying on these alarms for the early warning needed to survive a fire... YOU ARE AT RISK!

There are two types of smoke alarms - ionisation and photoelectric. Both types can be powered by battery or hard-wired (i.e. mains powered). Almost all smoke alarms installed in homes today are ionisation alarms.

There are two types of smoke alarms - ionisation and photoelectric. Both types can be powered by battery or hard-wired (i.e. mains powered). Almost all smoke alarms installed in homes today are ionisation alarms.

WARNING! RADIOACTIVEWARNING! RADIOACTIVEWARNING! RADIOACTIVEWARNING! RADIOACTIVE

HOW TO PROTECTYOU AND YOUR FAMILY

HOW TO PROTECTYOU AND YOUR FAMILY

In it's 1980 'Residential Smoke Alarm Report', the IAFC stated that the maximum level of smoke obscuration allowed in a home before a smoke alarm must activate was 4% (to ensure a safe exit in a real fire situation). Despite the lapse of 25 years since the IAFC’s Report and enduring industry pressure, UL when certifying smoke alarms as safe for consumers to protect their families, still allows up to 37% smoke obscuration in their testing laboratories - over 9 times the maximum safe level recommended by the IAFC!

For more information go to: www.JoinOurCrusade.com/docsFor more information go to: www.JoinOurCrusade.com/docs

Industry insider exposes fire

industry deceit and complacency

Richard M PattonFire Protection Engineer

W H E NW H E NYO U ’ R EYO U ’ R E

R I G H TR I G H T. . .. . .F I G H TF I G H T!!

DVD PAL

www.JoinOurCrusade.comwww.JoinOurCrusade.com

“In 1980 The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) said they could take no other course but to recommend photoelectric smoke alarms. Since then, despite overwhelming evidence of defects, more than 50,000 deaths and 250,000 injuries have occurred in homes ‘protected’ by ionisation alarms”.

to detect life-threatening firesS M O K E A L A R M S FA I LS M O K E A L A R M S FA I LS M O K E A L A R M S FA I L

4 TIMES OUT OF 5!4 TIMES OUT OF 5!

AT RISK?AT RISK? our smoke alarm goes off when you Yburn the toast or

open the oven door; it’s annoying, but at least you’ll get early warning of a fire, right? Wrong!

Two Types of Alarms There are two types of smoke alarms, ionisation and photoelectric. Almost all smoke alarms are the ionisation type. Even though they false-alarm frequently, we think they are 'really sensitive' and will therefore save us in a real fire. Every year thousands of lives are lost globally in homes ‘protected’ by ionisation smoke alarms, chances are they are the same type ‘protecting’ your family right now.

‘Silent Alarms’

In January2000, CanadianTV, broadcast

an award-winning documentary re-enacting the fire that killed Bradley Mercer, 4, and severely disfigured his brother Travis, 3. The courts awarded the Mercer ’s damages of US$16.7 mill ion. Despite receiving hundreds of written consumer complaints, the manufacturer...

“...failed to disclose the known limitations of the [ionisation] detector to

the consumers”.

2) Do NOT remove your ionisation smoke alarms until you have the replacements installed - they have a high failure rate but are better than no protection at all (but you can’t rely on them so don’t put off replacing them).

2) Do NOT remove your ionisation smoke alarms until you have the replacements installed - they have a high failure rate but are better than no protection at all (but you can’t rely on them so don’t put off replacing them).

WILL YOU MAKE ITTHROUGH THE NIGHT?

WILL YOU MAKE ITTHROUGH THE NIGHT?

IF THERE IS A FIREIF THERE IS A FIRE IN YOUR HOME TONIGHT... IN YOUR HOME TONIGHT...

IONISATION ALARMS CONSISTENTLY FAIL IN

‘REAL WORLD’ SCIENTIFIC TESTS!

IONISATION ALARMS CONSISTENTLY FAIL IN

‘REAL WORLD’ SCIENTIFIC TESTS!

CONSUMER ALERTCONSUMER ALERT CONSUMER ALERTCONSUMER ALERT CONSUMER ALERTCONSUMER ALERTCONSUMER ALERTCONSUMER ALERT CONSUMER ALERTCONSUMER ALERT CONSUMER ALERTCONSUMER ALERT

CONSUMER ALERTCONSUMER ALERT CONSUMER ALERTCONSUMER ALERT CONSUMER ALERTCONSUMER ALERTCONSUMER ALERTCONSUMER ALERT CONSUMER ALERTCONSUMER ALERT CONSUMER ALERTCONSUMER ALERT

TTE A D L I E SE A D L I E SAMERICASAMERICASAMERICAS

C OV E R U PC OV E R U PC OV E R U P

R E L E A S ER E L E A S EDATE: DEC 05DATE: DEC 05

1cc Copyright, T.I.C.A.F.D. January, 2005. File Name: ‘ConsumerAlert-SmokeAlarmsFail.pdf’ Last Updated: 27 Jan 05 Latest version of all Crusade documents at: www.JoinOurCrusade.com/docswww.JoinOurCrusade.com/docs

Richard M Patton, FPE

(See UL story page 2.)

“...If manufacturers are aware of this, why aren’t they

alerting alerting the public?”

“...the majority of smoke detectors sold today do not detect the type of fire that is most likely to kill you...” Tom Clarke, CTV “Most smoke detectors work on a principal called ionisation. A current of ions flows between two metal plates. When smoke particles enter the chamber the flow is interrupted and the alarm is triggered. By now you might be thinking that you're ok because when you burn toast in your kitchen, what happens? The smoke detector goes off and that must mean that everything's fine and that you’re safe - well think again. Toast and kitchen smoke generally produce lots of small particles, just the

right combination to block the flow of ions. But smoke particles from say a fire on your average couch are large and few in number and they often don't interrupt the flow, and so the [ionisation] alarm doesn't sound”. Tom Clarke “...What came out in court was an astounding tale of misinformation and deception. ... In the judges decision he concluded that even though [manufacturer] knew that their [ionisation alarm

model number] model of detectors were flawed, despite that knowledge, [manufacturer] failed to disclose the known limitations of the detector to the consumers. And the Judge went on to say “A smoke detector that sounds approximately 19 minutes after smoke reached its sensing chamber is like an air-bag that does not deploy until 19 minutes after a car accident”. Tom Clarke quoting Judge Schoenthaler

‘Silent Alarms’ - W5 Documentary

‘Smoke Alarms’ - 20/20 Report

‘Smoke Alarms’ - A Current Affair Report

“ ...Before another night goes by, consider the best way to protect your family”. Barbara Walters, Presenter, ABC. “It didn’t go off at all”. Wanda Vogel. “I think I was just appalled that it didn’t work”. Barbara Weir “...the most common type of smoke detector being sold today, the type you probably have, is not designed to give you the maximum time to escape”. Presenter “...There shouldn’t be a $5 model and a $25 model - there should be a model that works”. Barbara Weir “...There was smoke to that smoke detector but it did not react”. Kelly Halligan

“...Do you attempt to try to explain the difference...?” Presenter “...If we try and educate the consumer to that degree we are going to confuse them”. [Manufacturer] “Critics say [Manufacturer] is happy to have consumers buying the cheaper ionisation type because it can sell more detectors that way”. Presenter “...That’s where they make most of their money and they’re just going to keep doing the same thing until something compels them to change.” Dr Don Russell

“...we have to ask the question; why do they pass at the testing laboratories yet ... they don’t work the way they are supposed to work?” Chief Don Warden, President, Canadian Assoc. of Fire Chiefs “What would be your best advice, from a safety point of view for

Canadians tonight?” Tom Clarke “...replace them immediately with a photoelectric type smoke detector. Photoelectrics definitely do work, and please, until you get the new ones, do not take the batteries out of the ones you currently have”. Chief Don Warden

...“Mother, daughter, partner, nephew, niece, all gone - we thought we were doing the right thing”. Colin Zonneveld, Fire Survivor ...”And what about our families ..they’ve got these ionisation alarms, the damn things are so ineffective...”. Adrian Butler, Founder The International Crusade Against Fire Deaths “...To replace ionisation alarms with photoelectric would be quite prudent ...The fire develops a long smouldering phase that fills the house with smoke, it’s unlikely the [ionisation] smoke alarm will work”. David Isaac, Pertronic Industries. “If manufacturers are aware of this, why aren’t they alerting the public?” ACA “Some people would argue that it's the regulatory responsibility, others would argue that it’s a goodwill gesture on behalf of the industry, at the end of the day it’s a funding

n August 2001, the I ‘F i re Protect ion Contractor’ Magazine named Richard M Patton, ‘Person of the Ye a r ’ . P a t t o n ’ s ‘Crusade Against Fire Deaths’ started in 1976 when he sent 3,000 ‘Smoke Alarm Fraud’ reports to Fire Ch ie fs and f i re Engineers across the U.S. Patton’s relentless 30 year fire industry crusade was the inspiration behind ‘Stop The Children Burning.’

C’s P rso f the e rFP e n o Y a

C’s P rso f the e rFP e n o Y a

cha d M Pat oRi r t ncha d M Pat oRi r t n

Person of the Year

‘How Safe Are Products Bearing the UL Mark?’

‘How Safe Are Products Bearing the UL Mark?’

THE ‘GOLD STANDARD’ OF AMERICAN SAFETY - THE

UNDERWRITERS LABORATORIES SEAL - MAY BE TARNISHED, SAY

SOME FIRE OFFICIALS.

THE ‘GOLD STANDARD’ OF AMERICAN SAFETY - THE

UNDERWRITERS LABORATORIES SEAL - MAY BE TARNISHED, SAY

SOME FIRE OFFICIALS.

The ‘Crusade’ is a non-profit organisation that brings together fire engineers, fire-fighters environmentalists, lawyers, researchers and many others from around the world. The Crusade’s purpose is to:

The ‘Crusade’ is a non-profit organisation that brings together fire engineers, fire-fighters environmentalists, lawyers, researchers and many others from around the world. The Crusade’s purpose is to:

1) Alert the public about fire safety issues2 ) Change Fire Code/Standards testing to reflect real-world events.Join us, so together, we can Stop The Children Burning!

1) Alert the public about fire safety issues2 ) Change Fire Code/Standards testing to reflect real-world events.Join us, so together, we can Stop The Children Burning!

issue, public education is very important”. David Isaac. “There are many cases of ionisation alarms across the world saving people’s lives”. Damien Killalea, Community Fire Safety, Tasmania Fire Service. “...the Fire Brigades are now saying we

s h o u l d h a v e photoelectric alarms...”. Adrian Butler. “...Butler is doing his bit with a documentary, Stop The Chi ldren

Burning”. ACA “...The experts seem to agree that if you do have one of those ionisation alarms in your home, then please don’t take it down or dismantle it yet, wait until you have installed a new system, some protection is better than none at all”. Ray Martin, Presenter, ‘A Current Affair’

Fueling The Fire But interviews with more than 50 fire experts, safety officials, building-code authorities, engineers and lawyers, ... highlight a number of concerns about UL - UL’s safety tests may not reflect what happens in the real world. ...Joseph Fleming, Boston fire marshal and deputy fire chief, has concluded, after 10 years of study, that the ionisation smoke detector does not provide sufficient protection ... The reason, he claims: UL’s smouldering fire test was written more than 20 years ago and does not reflect different synthetic materials now used in upholstery and mattresses. “While an alarm may sound in UL labs it may not go off in a home...” Joseph Fleming. ....In November 1994, CPSC [Consumer Product Safety Commission] staff told UL they were concerned that the smouldering fire test “does not represent the smoke in residential smouldering fires”.

Tools Of Private Industry? “...[UL] have such an intimate relationship with the manufacturer and are designing safety standards at the manufacturer’s request, is that in the public interest?” Donald Bliss, Chairman, National Association of State Fire Marshals Task Force on Consumer Product Safety. ...”Don’t they [UL] have to please these folks [manufacturers] who pay them for tests? If so, are they playing to that audience instead of public safety?” Mark Chubb, Former Executive Director, Southeastern Association of Fire Chiefs.

“Most US fire deaths occur in homes ‘protected’ by ionisation smoke alarms that have been ‘listed’ (tested and certified) by Underwriters Laboratories.”

Richard M Patton, Fire Protection Engineer

(Extracts are verbatim - Emphasis added)

(Extracts are verbatim - Emphasis added)

(Extracts are verbatim - Emphasis added)

Elise Mooney, A.C.A., Journalist

“… a smoke detector that sounds approximately 19 minutes after smoke reached its sensing chamber is like an air-bag that does not deploy until 19 minutes after a car accident.” Judge David E Schoenthaler

Extracts from Channel 9, Australian Broadcast, Sept 22, 2004

Extracts from CTV, Canadian Broadcast, Jan 6, 2000

Extracts from ABC, USA Broadcast, May 17, 1996

2

“What Dick Patton has to say ... should be the starting point for a full-fledged investigation ... at a senior government level - with qualified professionals...”

Garth Stouffer, Manitoba Sun Newspaper

by Caroline Mayer, Washington Post, 12/99

CONSUMER ALERTCONSUMER ALERT CONSUMER ALERTCONSUMER ALERT CONSUMER ALERTCONSUMER ALERTCONSUMER ALERTCONSUMER ALERT CONSUMER ALERTCONSUMER ALERT CONSUMER ALERTCONSUMER ALERTc Copyright, T.I.C.A.F.D. January, 2005. File Name: ‘ConsumerAlert-SmokeAlarmsFail.pdf’ Last Updated: 27 Jan 05 Latest version of all Crusade documents at: www.JoinOurCrusade.com/docswww.JoinOurCrusade.com/docs

www.JoinOurCrusade.comwww.JoinOurCrusade.com

c www.JoinOurCrusade.com/docswww.JoinOurCrusade.com/docsCopyright, T.I.C.A.F.D. January, 2005. File Name: ‘ConsumerAlert-SmokeAlarmsFail.pdf’ Last Updated: 27 Jan 05 Latest version of all Crusade documents at:

Photoelectric vs IonisationPhotoelectric vs Ionisation

Wwww.JoinOurCrusade.com/docs

3

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