On August 6, 2017 Chapel Hill, Jackson Heights, Whitehouse, and City of Whitehouse Fire Departments responded to a structure fire. When units arrived, there was light smoke showing. Fire was found in the ceiling of a room used as an office. The fire was extinguished a few minutes later. During overhaul, fire fighters noticed the house had three smoke detectors in the correct places, but they did not work because they did not have batteries. There was a family inside asleep, and if it had not been for a neighbor leaving their house and beating on the door, they may not have made it out of the house. Check list for smoke detectors. 1. Detectors need batteries 2. Make sure the battery is changed twice a year. Remember time change is the time to change the batteries. 3. Check detectors once a month 4. If the detector is chirping change the battery. If it does not stop chirping even with a new battery change the smoke detectors 5. After 10 years smoke detectors are no good, change them out. The date is on the back of the detector.
