In some cases, a fire alarm can go off, and there’s no fire. Fire alarms can be unfounded or minor smoke in the home can set the fire alarm off but does not warrant the response from the fire department. However, if you have a gas alarm, the fire department will always respond to the alarm, even if you think there is nothing wrong. Here is why.
Reasons a Fire Department Won’t Cancel a Dispatch for a Gas Alarm
While a fire department will most likely listen to you if you say that you do not need a dispatch for a fire alarm that sounds, they will not heed your advice in the case of a gas alarm. This is because the alarm may be reported for reasons you are not aware of. Some gases, such as carbon monoxide, are odorless, tasteless, and colorless which means you won’t even notice its presence, but it will still be detected in your home or business by the carbon monoxide detector. Other times, the gas leak is so slow, and the exposure to it is so gradual that you may not notice the odor. If a gas alarm is reported, there is either some type of gas leak or the detector is faulty. Either way, the fire department will respond to ensure the safety of your home or business and everyone inside.
The Policy in Action
There have been many cases where an owner wanted to cancel a dispatch for a gas alarm, thinking the alarm was erroneously reporting. Thankfully, a fire department won’t cancel that alarm. Here is just one story of why this policy is in place and how helpful it can be.
We dispatched the fire department and called the owner on her cell when her gas alarm was reported to our Dispatchers. She was home and said nothing was going on and to cancel the fire department dispatch. In the meantime, the fire department showed up and said they smelled gas and found a propane leak. If the fire department had not done their inspection, the leak would have gone undetected. A gas leak is not something that you are always able to see or smell on your own, which is why it is important to have a detector in place. If you are in need of a security system, a fire alarm system or a gas detector like the one described here, let Seacoast Security help you. We offer free estimates, installation as well as monitoring services for homes and businesses that could save your life.
