Carbon Monoxide Detectors, Doug Brown, Neighbors InDeed, Sun City Lincoln

Sorry no link to the article. The story came through the local neighborhood paper "The Woodcreek News" May 20111 edition.

Operative quotes:

"On July 1 of this year, a new [Another] California law goes into effect.... Senate Bill 183 requiring placement of carbon monoxide detectors in all California single family dwellings."

"There are 30 to 40 "avoidable deaths" each year in California stemming from CO poisoning. So an easily plugged-in "gizmo" is well worth the minor cost, right?"


"And of course, if you plan to sell your house, or you're a landlord, you must install one or risk a fine of about $200.00. Ouch!"

This is so do-goodery - if there is such a word - and so misconceived and heavy handed as to be only from communist California. There are 36,961,664 people (Google - http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/06000.html ) in California. So the percentage of population 40 people represents is: .00000108220236. So much for risk analysis and cost effectiveness studies. Are the do-gooders at the state capitol insane? Has life in California come to this kind of risk avoidance where we are chasing this infinitesimal number in saved lives?

Second there are 11.5 million (Google -http://www.zillow.com/advice-thread/How-many-Single-family-homes-are-in-California/226480/) "single family dwellings." My home, built in 1996, has 6 smoke alarms which I assume the law says I have to replace them all. But for an average overall for California lets assume 50% or 3 carbon monoxide detectors per home. so again math is great! 11,500,000 X 3 X $20.00(The cheapest cost of detectors from the above article.). A whopping total of $690,000,000.00 spent on just the detectors. So much for the above statement "...well worth the minor cost, right?" Love the "right?" at the end - like Mr. Brown  is saying, "any imbassile can see it is worth the cost!" No Mr. Brown not everyone assumes it is "worth the cost." I surely don't think it is worth the cost when I divide the $690,000,000 by the 40 lives it will save and see it is costing: $17,250,000 to save each of these 40 lives. Geez with this kind of cost analysis and cost effectiveness the do-gooders are going to pass a law to - save the 350 children who die in car accidents from head trauma - all children 4 years old ( 4 years and older because younger toddler's neck will be broken by the weight of the helmet in an accident.) to 18 years old must wear crash helmets in the car at all times. Better still - all children to age 15 or 165 pounds, which ever comes first, will have to be strapped into a car seat and cannot ride in the front because we can save another 125 children from vehicle deaths (Most California parents will take their kids to McDonalds and supersize their kid's meals so they can become obese and go over the 165 pound limit earlier.). Absolutely not Mr. Brown. I don't think this is a very good idea. I think the housing market and the state economy cannot absorb 690 million dollars worthlessly spent on carbon monoxide detectors. This is like the state throwing $690,000,000 worth of taxes away. The
"ouch," Mr. Brown, is in this whole cockamamy idea to try and save 40 people.

The fine; for me, I am making an assumption about having to replace all my hard wired smoke detectors because assuming I sell my house and I have installed combination detectors where my smoke detectors were I cannot be held liable for incorrect installation when the new buyers die from carbon monoxide poisoning. I also assume, in my case, the cost of each is going to be above the $20.00 and more like $35.00 (Hard wired devices). So the cost, plus installation and risk of falling and killing myself (There is a risk they did not factor in - the number of deaths caused by people falling off ladders and killing themselves installing carbon monoxide detectors in place of smoke detectors. Probably 80 people will die.) I will pay the $200.00 fine or reduce the cost of my home $500.00 so the new buyer can install carbon monoxide devices.

As a political person this is obviously a quid-pro-quo law lobbied for by the 2, or 3 manufacturers of smoke alarms/carbon monoxide detectors who's business has tanked with the crashing of the housing market. What a better way to create new business. Rather than businesses depending on the free market and advertising to convince consumers of the need for carbon monoxide detectors, they lobby some state do-gooder legislator to introduce a law, have it passed by the lock-step do-gooders at the California Capitol and signed by Moonbeam do-gooder Jerry Brown, or is it do-gooder Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhrnold - Girlie Boy - Schwarzenegger which requires all "single family dwellings" be required to install carbon monoxide detectors or replace older smoke detectors with newer smoke detectors with carbon monoxide detectors. I guess this is a prime example of follow the money, or (Estimated) $640,000,000. Which leads me to the next scam. Aren't most carbon monoxide producing devices in California "single family units" required to have a permit and inspection when installed? The only ones I am aware of which do not require such an inspection are gas stoves, gas driers and space heaters using kerosene or natural gas. So how are those 40 "avoidable deaths" dieing? Now if they are dieing from permitted and inspected installations should not the law address engineers and inspectors being held liable rather than assuming they did not investigate, approve and inspect the installation and there is a need for detectors to protect citizens from their incompetence? And if the deaths are caused by the improper use, or installation of fireplaces, stoves, space heaters and driers maybe the law should only apply to those who purchase such devices - like a mandatory carbon monoxide device sold with each of these devices; or better yet a carbon monoxide detector built into each of these devices to sound when they malfunction! What am I doing! It doesn't matter we don't need any of this the likely hood you are going to die from carbon monoxide poisoning is .00000108220236 as a percentage of the population; nothing, nada, zilch.!