NEWBURGH – Newburgh Fire
Chief Michael Vatter issued his annual advisory on Friday – when
you turn your clocks back this weekend, also change the batteries in your
home smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
Last March, three people died in an apartment in Newburgh from carbon
monoxide poisoning.
Beth Hefferner of Orange County Healthy Neighborhoods said the
county program will help people who need those devices. Listen
in are (l-r)
Newburgh Mayor Judy Kennedy, Fire Chief Michael Vatter and Councilwoman
Karen Mejia.)
Having a functioning CO and smoke detector can mean the difference between
life and death, he said.
Vatter said unfortunately there are still too many apartment renters
in the city who either do not have those devices installed, dead batteries
or none at all.
“Poverty is our biggest problem; poverty is what creates why we
don’t have smoke detectors or they are taken down or whatever. We
want to get you the help you need. Please, please, when you go to change
the clock, put a new battery in it,” he said.
Mayor Judy Kennedy said there is “nothing more important”
than to check those devices to make sure they are working.
Councilwoman Karen Mejia had a bilingual message for residents.
“This is extremely simple. You don’t need big government coming
in; this is your own responsibility,” she said. “To all our
residents of the City of Newburgh, please change the batteries on these
life-saving devices at the same time as you are changing your clock.”
Orange County Healthy Neighborhoods Director Beth Heffner said her program
can help residents of the cities of Newburgh, Middletown and Port Jervis
if they need batteries or the devices themselves.
