Fire Department

Carbon monoxide (CO) alarms don’t last forever. Many local property owners installed alarms in 2008 or 2011 to comply with state laws requiring them in residential buildings.
 
Detectors installed at those times had a 5-year lifespan and will need to be replaced.
 
Just in time, First Alert is donating 200 carbon monoxide alarms to the Madison Fire Department. They will be distributed upon request to owner-occupied homes resided by children under five years of age and/or by seniors 65 years and older.
 
Recent carbon monoxide (CO) incidents in Madison, including one in which a west side family discovered a deadly problem brewing in their basement, illustrate the lifesaving results of maintaining functional detectors. 
 
Carbon monoxide poisoning can happen anywhere anytime, particularly in homes that contain fuel-burning appliances such as furnaces, stoves and ovens, water heaters, dryers, and fireplaces.
 
At minimum, residences should have a CO detector near sleeping areas. The next best location for additional detectors is in the area of major gas-burning appliances but not within 15 feet of the appliance itself. In general, follow the manufacturer’s instructions for installation location.
 
To request a CO detector, call our Community Education Division at (608) 266-4709. Detectors will be distributed to owner-occupied homes resided by children under five years of age and/or seniors 65 years and older.