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New smoke alarm law takes effect on April 1

New law will ban the sale of devices with removeable batteries.

BUFFALO, N.Y. — According to the US Fire Administration, New York leads the nation in civilian fire deaths so far this year. A new law is aimed at reversing that trend.

Starting April 1, you will no longer to be able to buy a device with a removable battery. The only battery-powered smoke alarms allowed to be sold will be those equipped with sealed-in, non-removable batteries that last at least ten years. The Firemen's Association of the State of New York (FASNY) says once installed, these alarms are virtually impossible to disable. 

A February fire in Watertown claimed the lives of a father and his two children. The local fire chief said all three smoke detectors in the home were missing batteries.

"The implementation of this legislation will save lives," said FASNY President Steven Klein. "Far too many people are injured or killed in home fires, and too many of these tragedies can be traced back to a lack of working smoke alarms. Forgetting to replace or change a battery should not result in death."

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