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Public Safety

State Requires CO Detectors In All Apartments In New Year

Effective Jan. 1, 2013 state law will require carbon monoxide detectors in all California condominiums and apartments with fossil-fuel burning appliances.

The law now applies to landlords, tenants, condominium owners and Homeowner Associations, said Lee Swanson, spokesman for the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department.

According to the American Medical Association, carbon monoxide poisoning is the leading cause of accidental poisoning in the United States, responsible for an average of 450 deaths, and more than 20,000 emergency calls annually.

KPBS has created a public safety coverage policy to guide decisions on what stories we prioritize, as well as whose narratives we need to include to tell complete stories that best serve our audiences. This policy was shaped through months of training with the Poynter Institute and feedback from the community. You can read the full policy here.