Amanda’s Law Takes Effect February 22: All NY Homes Must Have Carbon Monoxide Detectors

In 4 days, all homes in the state of New York must have carbon monoxide detectors under the newly passed “Amanda’s Law,” named for Amanda Hansen. Amanda was a 16 year old girl who died from carbon monoxide poisoning while at a sleepover at a friends house. She and her friend were camping out near a faulty boiler. After the tragedy, her parents became advocates for a law that would require a detector in all homes so this would never occur again. They were successful. 

Homes with a conventional heating system (i.e., one that could produce carbon monoxide) built prior to 2008 must have a detector on the lowest level of the home with a bedroom. The exact verbiage of the law is on the New York State Senate Website. We have two detectors in our home, one in the basement about 15 feet from the furnace, another on the main floor in the kitchen, and a third at the top of the stairs where the bedrooms are. 

This was a terrible tragedy, and we all owe a debt of gratitude to the Hansens for their efforts. Lives will be saved because they got active in their daughter’s memory. If you don’t have a carbon monoxide detector, go get one. It is only the law in a handful of states, but detectors should be in your home also.