POLAND Woman's urge to update detectors averted disaster

The family gives thanks to God for their survival.
By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
POLAND -- Joan Depp stood outside her township home Wednesday afternoon looking over the damage caused by a fire earlier in the week, but she still managed to smile.
The portion of siding had been ripped from the side of the James Street home, some wood on the house had been charred, melted plastic remained stuck to a walkway and black dust covered almost everything close by.
Workers were busy cleaning smoke dust from inside the house.
Depp wasn't smiling because she is happy about the damages, however.
She said her smile can be seen as outward thanks to God for the foresight to install new smoke detectors two weeks ago. The family had lived in the house for years without detectors or with detectors without batteries.
David Comstock, the Western Reserve Joint Fire District chief, said the early Sunday morning fire could have been much worse had the detectors not been in working condition. He said damages were estimated at about $10,000.
"The fire was not that extensive or not as bad as it could have been, but what I found is that this family had just bought new smoke detectors within the last two weeks," he said. "If they hadn't installed those detectors not only would there have been more damage but there could have been a potentially tragic situation."
Detectors' alert
Depp said the family has lived in the house for 32 years and did have smoke detectors at one time, but as the batteries wore out and the devices got old, the detectors just weren't replaced.
A few weeks ago, Depp said, she was struck with a sudden urge to update all the smoke detectors in the house. Her husband, Dwight Depp, went to Sears and bought two detectors -- one installed downstairs and one installed on the second floor.
"I don't know why, but I just felt we needed to get these detectors fixed and put up," she said. "There is just too much going on."
A few weeks later, Joan Depp was awakened by a crackling sound and the screaming of the newly installed alarm. A trash can to the rear of the house had caught fire and spread to the house.
Douglas Depp, Joan and Dwight's son, was able to grab a hose and contain the fire until the fire department arrived, but the family is certain that would not have been possible without the detectors' alert.
Now, Joan Depp says the family no longer takes smoke detector use lightly. She is telling everyone she knows the same message fire departments have been spreading for years: Make sure detectors are on every floor of the home.
If there is a question as to what to buy, she said, ask someone. The extra effort and few dollars spent will be well worth it if a potential tragedy comes, she said.
jgoodwin@vindy.com