As of January 1, a new law went into effect in Illinois that requires every home in the state that was built before 1988 to have a smoke detector with a self-contained, sealed battery with a life of 10 years.
This law also applies to homes that do not have smoke detectors.
If you do not comply, you might face a fine of up to $1,500.
On the morning of this Wednesday, municipal and state authorities held a press conference to raise awareness regarding the smoke detector law in Illinois and how these devices might save their lives and that of their families.
There have been 485 deaths from residential fires in Illinois in the past five years, officials say, with the majority occurring in Chicago and in homes without or inoperative smoke detectors.
It is important that people understand that the time to escape from a burning residence is of the utmost importance.
This new legislation only reinforces or updates advanced technology in smoke detectors since in Illinois having a smoke detector in every home was already the law in 1988.
It should be noted that this law was approved in 2017, but it was not until January 1, 2023 when it came into force.
