Bernards Township, NJ – Known as the silent killer carbon monoxide almost claimed the lives of a Basking Ridge family.
Their ADT alarm and first responders saved their lives.
On Nov. 30, just after 6 a.m., Basking Ridge homeowners Azim and Madhavi Saifee were suddenly awakened by the piercing sound of their ADT alarms.
Bernards Township Police responded immediately to the home and helped the couple open windows and wake up the 10 other family members in the home.
Liberty Corner Fire Company arrived and used hand-held devices to detect dangerous levels of carbon monoxide.
Everyone was evacuated until the gas company arrived. An 11-year-old who complained of dizziness and a headache, was treated by Liberty Corner EMTs, but no one was transported.
The carbon monoxide cause was determined to be a gas powered furnace and water heater enclosed behind a solid door in the home’s basement.
The Saifee family was reunited with the first responders and the ADT dispatcher who helped save their lives yesterday, Dec. 22.
ADT also donated a total of $15,000 to the Bernards Township Police Department, Liberty Corner Fire Company and Liberty Corner First Aid Squad.
Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that causes everything from headaches to death, according to ADT.
According to the CDC, only 30% of American homes have functioning carbon monoxide alarms and that more than 500 Americans die annually of carbon monoxide poisoning with many occurring during the winter.