FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS

Suzy Hopkins is the editor and publisher of a new magazine called "friends and neighbors" its emphasis is on celebrating seniors, but, as one of her fans wrote, "You might think this magazine is only for seniors. No, not at all..." Shirley Singley. Shirley is right. Its about our friends and neighbors and topics of interest to everybody.
Suzy has generously given me permission to revisit some of her pieces in "Friends and Neighbors" on my blog while I'm recuperating from shoulder surgery. To the right is a link to the magazine so you can peek for yourself at www.tcfan.net
Bay Area people have been retiring to the Mother Lode after visiting here for years. We welcome their expertise and knowledge and many contributions to our communities and Susy is right to celebrate them. Their numbers are expected to grow in the coming years and Tuolumne County is preparing for that influx with emphasis on safe driving, transportation, housing, etc.
The magazine has a very professional staff and great graphics, photos and color. It can be found all over Tuolumne County-free. Just ask a local business person. It is also available to folks in Calaveras County in nearby Angels Camp and Murphys. When you are headed up this way, be sure and pick up a copy.
Now, when you visit the Motherlode, you will meet some of the fascinating people who call it home.

DEATH BY SMOKE DETECTOR

Having children die because of faulty smoke detectors is unforgiveable. Paying for something that doesn't work is unacceptable. All planning departments should reconsider their requirements for smoke detectors. As an activist, I wish to expose this sham to as many people as I can. Please tell your friends to contact their supervisors and question what they know about smoke detectors.

These quotes prove that decades ago fire officials knew that detector failures were causing wrongful fire deaths but they hid the truth:

“John C. Gerard, Fire Chief of the Los Angeles Fire Department cited national statistics showing battery powered devices have a 50 to 80 percent failure rate.”

Source: Fire Chief Magazine, January 1980.

“Smoke detectors were an unknown term to 99 percent of the population 10 years ago. Today, millions of single family dwellings have them, yet there is no reduction in loss of life from fire. This paradox has not been explained. Source: Fire Chief Magazine, January, 1980.

“We put 50 million smoke detectors in buildings in America in a two year period and our fire loss and death rate goes up. We’re having a little trouble explaining these things.” Statement by Gordon Vickery, former head of the U.S. Fire Administration. Source: Fire Engineering Magazine, September 1980.

“Residential fire death rate increases nearly 20 percent over 1984 residential death rate with over 100 million smoke detectors installed in American homes”

Source: NFPA Fire Journal, November 1986, page 44