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NEWS

Lawmakers push carbon monoxide detection bill

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Also by Teresa Welsh:

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Health costs differ throughout state (December 6, 2007)
Great Dane able to expand beer sales (December 4, 2007)
You owe $3,500: Debt continues to rise (November 29, 2007)
Petri secures state transport funding (November 26, 2007)

by Teresa Welsh

Monday, January 28, 2008

An invisible killer took the lives of Patty Hekenberger’s mother- and father-in-law when the couple was killed in their Chetek, Wis. cabin after it filled with carbon monoxide.

On Monday, 200 carbon monoxide detectors were donated to the Salem Fire Department in conjunction with announcement of the carbon monoxide legislation Hekenberger helped craft after the August 2002 accident.

Sen. Bob Wirch, D-Pleasant Prairie and Rep. Samantha Kerkman, R-Randall, introduced the legislation, which would require all residential buildings with fuel-burning appliances to install carbon monoxide detectors.

“It’s an odorless, tasteless gas, and when you’re out in a lodging establishment, you expect that as many safety precautions have been taken when you’re staying at a hotel or motel, or if you’re renting an apartment,” Kerkman said.

Hekenberger began working with Wirch and Kerkman in January 2003 to develop legislation that would require hotels, motels, cabins and rental apartments to have carbon monoxide detectors.

The bill has been rewritten several times, Hekenberger said, to make sure all parties agree with the language. She testified for the bill when it was finished.

The bill was passed unanimously through committee last week. It is scheduled tentatively for debate on the Senate floor this Thursday, according to Kerkman.

If it passes in the Senate, it will then move on to an Assembly committee for discussion. The law would take effect six months after being passed by both houses.

Work on the bill done by Hekenberger also spurred the donation of carbon monoxide detectors to the fire department by the Kidde Corporation. The fire department can distribute the detectors at their discretion.

“We feel this is a positive step in the right direction for the safety of the public,” Salem Fire Chief Mike Slover said. “If people are in need of a carbon monoxide detector, especially this time of year when heaters are in use, this can be one of those things that we can provide. We can make sure they’re installed correctly and give a little education to the homeowner in regard to maintenance.”

Hekenberger was very pleased with the donation and wants to see several of the 200 detectors installed at a Salvation Army camp in her area.

“I thought they’d only get 50, so when I found out today it was 200, I was like, ‘Holy cow!’” Hekenberger said.

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