Dear LPG readers,  

When I find myself on the LPG pages the one thing that never disappoints is the variety of subjects covered.  I just can’t help but take a look at some of the articles from the past and that was exactly what I was doing when I saw one that I thought it would be helpful to repeat at least once a year.   

I think that the title of my message says it all really.  When the average person is outside taking a walk to the shops or waiting for a bus and notices a strong shadow representing their silhouette imitating their actions on the pavement, it might provoke one to look skywards in an effort to see the sun in action.  In the same way, a grey cloudy day might get the head tilting upwards to examine the day’s cloud formations.   But when you step inside a building the ceiling is the last place you focus on.   
 
When visiting, you might notice an interesting light fitting, but our eyes are programmed to check for attention-grabbing things to see nearer to the ground.  In my own house I am more likely to check for cobwebs every now and then or a spider might catch the eye but the bit of ceiling furniture that just fades into the background is the fire alarm, if there is one.   

I know that one of those long handled brushes will work for cobwebs, and light bulbs get noticed because you can’t see without them, but if the smoke alarm battery is not working it does not really look any different.  They have that habit of making the annoying beeping noise when they are trying to warn of a weak battery but the sound of your television or radio is likely to mask it, and if you hear it often enough, your ears have a habit of getting so accustomed to it that when it stops you don’t even notice the silence. 

It is also worth remembering that smoke is the obvious killer and, although the nose of a conscious person can do a reasonable job of smoke-smelling, while the eyes will start watering and irritating, an alarm can react quicker, and those reactions will be missed if you are having a bit of a doze while the dinner is browning a bit too much.  It is also to be remembered that carbon monoxide does not come with a smell which makes it a good idea to swap if you don’t have a combination one. 

While I hope that no reader ever has to hear a smoke alarm in action, if ever the need arises, I pray that no one has to rely on their nose. Smoke alarms do save lives but they really have to have a working battery in order to achieve that aim.   

I take the opportunity to remind readers to get one if you don’t have one, or get the one you do have checked.  Falling off a chair while attempting a battery-check or installation is not recommended either.   We need to know our limitations as we get older and, if it is too high for you to get to, get a younger visitor to do something helpful while you make them a cup of tea.  Failing that, I checked and most parts of the UK still have a handypersons service and Lewisham happens to be one.    

Lastly, when you next visit your friends look up, because if you can’t see one, a quick enquiry might leave you with a present idea for the person who thinks that they have everything.  So much is designed perfectly.  We live in an eye level world but smoke has a habit of rising which is why alarms are up there…  

While taking a look at the internet I learned something else.  Alarms traditionally work by frightening your ears into submission but you can also get alarms designed to alert people who are hard of hearing or deaf.    

I know that this subject has been featured on these pages on a few occasions in the past but I would just like to remind readers of how important it is to take a look at their smoke alarms from time to time.  I remember having a couple installed so long ago that the Lewisham handy Person’s service did the job for me.  It is one of those jobs that is so easy to do yourself when you are young but it is definitely not one of those jobs that you can do, tick off the list and then forget about. 

SC, Crofton Park 

 

 

SC found us some online information…

 

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