A new law, effective in 2023, will hopefully save lives. The Illinois Fire Safety Alliance announced a new initiative requiring smoke detectors – with a 10-year battery – to be installed in all homes built before 1988. That’s if the homes don’t already have hard-wired smoke detectors. Local fire safety, public health officials and the city administration held a press conference at the Kankakee Fire Station (Tues) morning.

Kankakee Fire Chief Damon Schuldt stresses the important time-factor in today’s society, that we have to escape from our homes …….

"So often today, a lot of household goods, including furniture, have synthetic products that produce toxic smoke.  It's much more dangerous.  Natural wood and less toxic smoke was common decades ago.  So getting out of the house quickly is important," Schuldt said.

This is an awareness effort about  a new law, effective in 2023.  "We will have smoke detectors to install for those in need," Schuldt added. Propertyowners can call the fire department at 815-933-0458.

Margaret Vaughn is Director of the IL Firefighters Association Government Affairs. She said this device is significant in that it’s a sealed battery, good for 10-years, so people don’t have to remember to change batteries every six months for reliability.

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