OTTUMWA —
Forty-two Iowa residents died in house fires last year, but the Iowa Fire Marshal's office says the total could have been much, much higher.
The office credits smoke alarms with saving 217 people in 2012, a 16 percent rise from 2011. It points to a January 2012 case as typical. A Denison couple was sleeping when an adapter in an outlet began to burn at 3 a.m. Smoke detectors woke the couple, giving them time to evacuate and call the fire department.
The number of lives saved by smoke detectors has risen each year since 2010, when the office credits the devices with saving 146 people. In 2011, 186 lives were saved.
“Relying on Lady Luck is not a good fire prevention plan. A smoke alarm does not rely on luck to wake a person during a fire,” said State Fire Marshal Ray Reynolds.
Community News Network
It's 3 a.m. Do you know where your smoke detector is?
- Community News Network
-
-
VIDEO: NSA director says 50 plots foiled
General Keith Alexander says two recently disclosed surveillance programs on international communications are critical in the terrorism fight.
-
Called 'Next Stephen Hawking,' teen is perfect on math exam
There's a wall on the third floor of Lewiston-Porter High School dedicated to celebrating perfect scores on state mathematics exams. A new name joined the growing list Tuesday, which brought a smile to the face of everyone involved.
-
Bakery mix-up goes viral after cat drawn on girl's head
A photo of one graduate's cake has gone viral on Reddit due to a bakery mix-up that left a cat, instead of a cap, drawn on her head.
-
VIDEO: Rapper steps on American flag
Lil Wayne sparked a controversy when he stepped on an American flag during the filming of his new music video, but the rapper later said it was a mistake and unintentional.
-
Facebook's organ donor status sends registrations soaring
Facebook's addition of a way for its users to tell people their organ-donor status helped boost the number of people who registered as donors 21-fold in one day.
-
VIDEO: Britney Spears' sons to make acting debut
Britney Spears recorded a new song for the "The Smurfs 2," and her sons Sean Preston and Jayden will make a cameo in the music video.
-
White House, NASA want help hunting asteroids
The White House and NASA on Tuesday will ask the public for help finding asteroids that potentially could slam into the Earth with catastrophic consequences.
-
Caught on tape: Fla. teacher accused of beating autistic child
A surveillance video shows David Baier, a former special needs teacher in Davie, Fla., picking up a 12-year-old autistic student by his hair and then pushing him to the floor.
-
Is it really possible to not know you're pregnant until the birth?
Trish Staine had just finished running 10 miles while training for a half-marathon when she started going into labor. The mother of three said she hadn't gained any weight or felt any fetal movement in the months before and had no idea she was pregnant. Is it possible for a woman not to know she's pregnant before she starts giving birth?
-
VIDEO: Amphibious bus filled with tourists sinks
In Liverpool, England, a "duck bus" -- which is supposed to be amphibious -- sank while full of tourists.
- More Community News Network Headlines
-
RAW: NSA Director Says 50 Plots Foiled
Boeing, Airbus Battle for Sales Supremacy
NYC 911 Call Lasts for 8 Hours
Obama: US Has Helped Syrian Rebels
Afghan Forces Take Afghanistan Security Lead
Raw: 100K Protesters Flood Brazilian Streets
California Cops Cruise on Stand-up Paddle Patrol
Transgender Candidate Running in NYC
Obama: NSA Secret Data Gathering 'Transparent'
Man Who Disrupted Flight Ranted About CIA
Feds: 7-Eleven Stores Exploited Immigrants
Fla. Teen Catches Ride With Whale Shark
Iran's Rowhani Urges 'Path of Moderation'
Investigators Probe Origin of Colo. Wildfire
Ex-NFL Star Chad Johnson Out of Jail
Family Tweets Say Kim Kardashian Gives Birth
