Nicole’s Law

On November 4, 2005, a new bill was signed into law, known as “Nicole’s Law”, named after 7-year old Nicole Garofalo who died on January 28, 2005 when her Plymouth home was filled with deadly amounts of carbon monoxide on January 24. The furnace vents had been blocked by snow during a power outage.

Provisions of New Regulations for CO Detectors

For buildings with fossil-fuel burning equipment or enclosed parking areas, the new regulations require carbon monoxide detectors on every level of the home and within ten feet of each sleeping area and in habitable portions of basements and attics. The CO detectors may be:

Acceptable combination smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms must have simulated voice and tone alarms that clearly distinguish between the two types of emergencies. The State Building Code mandates that only photoelectric combination alarms are permitted within twenty feet of a bathroom or kitchen. All affected residences must install approved carbon monoxide alarms by March 31, 2006, although, where hard-wired systems are required, the deadline is January 1, 2007.

If you have questions regarding any of this information, please don’t hesitate to contact me. I’m always available to help whenever I can!