ATLANTA (CBS ATLANTA) -
The Atlanta Fire Rescue Department will start their push to replace more than 18,000 counterfeit smoke detectors on Saturday.
The department recalled them last week as a result of CBS Atlanta's exclusive investigation that uncovered the smoke detectors were fake.
The Atlanta Fire Rescue Department handed out smoke detectors to high-risk, low-income areas over the past five years as part of its Atlanta Smoke Alarm Program, or ASAP Blitz. They went to people such as Virginia McDay.
"Hopefully, it's a good one because the Fire Department gave it to me," said McDay.
But it wasn't a good one. A CBS Atlanta investigation uncovered that more than 18,000 smoke detectors handed out were counterfeit. They didn't meet national safety standards to alert someone in case of a fire. Here's how you can tell: The fake smoke detector has three sets of five-slotted vents on the front and a hologram UL label on the back.
"Do you think it gave those people a false sense of security?" reporter Jennifer Mayerle asked Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran.
"It gave those residents a false sense of security. It gave our men and women that were installing those smoke alarms a false sense of security, and it's given me, as fire chief, a false sense of security," said Cochran.
A week after finding out the smoke detectors were counterfeit, the push is on to get the new, approved smoke detectors into homes. The Atlanta Fire Foundation donated $5,000 to start the program. The foundation helps the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department meet its needs. Chairman Ron Fennel said the foundation gave the donation because there's nothing more important than the safety of a person in his or her home, and the group doesn't want anyone to be in danger.
Cochran said it's a high priority to recall the fake smoke detectors.
"We're pulling out all the stops to identify and recall and replace these smoke alarms as soon as possible," said Cochran.
Firefighters will target the Howell Heights community on Saturday, May 21 beginning at 9:45 a.m. That will include Hobart Drive Northwest, Amhurst Drive Northwest, Vanderbilt Lane Northwest and Jones Road Northwest.
Firefighters will have dual sensor smoke detectors to install on each level of the homes, free of charge. The Fire Department will conduct blitz's every other weekend until it reaches all of the homes where it had previously handed out counterfeit smoke detectors.
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