Carbon Monoxide laws in Arizona and 30 states other states have created regulations for the placement and maintenance of carbon monoxide detectors. When looking at the list of carbon monoxide detector laws in the United States, 30 states have enacted statutes regarding carbon monoxide detectors, and another 11 have promoted regulations on CO detectors as of January 2016.
Two of the states that are missing from the list of states with carbon monoxide detector laws are Arizona and Indiana.
In November 2010, a 22-year-old girl named Lindsey O’Brien Kesling died as a result of toxic exposure to carbon monoxide in her Scottsdale, Arizona apartment due to a car left running in the garage. Kesling was originally from LaPorte, Indiana, where her family campaigns to try to have carbon monoxide detector requirements passed. Her family started the LOK Wishing Tree Foundation to honor her death and protect others from carbon monoxide poisoning.
The group started a change.org petition to ask state legislators in both Indiana and Arizona join the other states that have passed legislation requiring carbon monoxide alarms in residential homes and other types of dwellings. The petition has gained 1,429 supporters out of the goal 1,500 supporters. The foundation tries to raise awareness about the “silent killer,” carbon monoxide, which is odorless, colorless, and tasteless, and gives away free CO detectors.
In Illinois, the law requires CO alarms in new and existing single and multi-family dwellings with a fuel burning appliance or an attached garage. In Michigan, CO alarms are required in new hotels, motels, and boarding houses as well as new and existing single- and multi-family dwellings. In Wisconsin, hotels, tourist rooming houses, apartment buildings, dormitories, jails and bed & breakfast establishments are all included under the law, but not hospitals and nursing homes.
When someone signs the change.org petition, a respectful email will be sent to nine state representatives and senators in Indiana and in Arizona asking them to mandate CO detectors in homes and multi-family buildings, such as apartment buildings like the one that Lindsey lived in.
The campaign to try to have a state mandate started in 2013, and the LaPorte, Indiana building inspector was trying to create a proposal for an ordinance for the city as of May 2015 that would mandate CO detectors in all new residential construction projects and new bedroom additions. There was actually a family in LaPorte that was saved by a carbon monoxide detector handed out by the LOK Wishing Tree Foundation. At that time, they were trying to have as many cities pass ordinances in order to have it make sense that the state would pass a bill into law about CO detectors.
Thank you so much for your coverage of the effort LOK Wishing Tree has made to promote carbon monoxide safety. I just found your article today and shared it with LOK Wishing Tree founder, Dot Kesling. I have worked with Dot for the past 4+ years.
This should be a no brainer but some state legislators are corrupt.