My neighbor and her daughter are dead for lack of batteries in smoke detectors

[H. Cromwell]

23. Blame the manufacturers ???

* The nine-volt batteries are expensive and harder to find.

Most any drug store, department store, big box store sells them for around $5 per pair.

* The smoke detectors are often placed on the ceiling, making it a hassle to change batteries.
Calling it a hassle to spend less than a pack of cigarettes for a battery to put into a smoke detector that is almost guaranteed to save your life if there is a fire because it takes 15 minutes or so to stand on a chair to do the change twice a year is ridiculous.

NOTE: If you call your local fire department (professional or volunteer) they will GLADLY change your detectors batteries for free.

* False alarms happen at inopportune times, causing people to disable the detectors.
Most of the false alarms are from the kitchen detector...relocating that detector usually corrects the problem.

If manufacturers deal with these problems there would be fewer fire-related deaths.
Manufacturers do now have smoke detectors with lifetime batteries and detectors specially made for kitchen use.
Try putting the "blame" for non working smoke detectors where it belongs; on the home owner/renter. Anyone who lets batteries die or disables a smoke detector for false alarms and has children living in the home bears the responsibility for their death if there is a fire.

As a 25 plus year volunteer firefighter, I have seen it happen and seen the grief it causes.