American Alarm & Communications, Inc.

Saved by the Neighbor's Bell

As the Nicastro-Reznikow family slept, fire consumed the attic of their Victorian townhouse and tore through the roof. They'd gone to sleep believing their relatively new security system would protect them from harm. It was a near-fatal assumption.

"We're lucky to be alive," said Doreen Nicastro. "If it wasn't for my neighbor's alarm system, well, I don't want to think about what would have happened."

The Nicastro-Reznikow's security system (installed by a national company) was billed as state-of-the-art. It even had a "fire" panic button. But that system didn't detect the fire on March 1, 2004. "Little did we know that the system wasn't up to code," Doreen said. "Thank God for my neighbor's American Alarm system—it saved our lives."

As the fire grew in the Nicastro-Reznikow's attic, the lone smoke detector connected to their security system was on the first floor, far away from the accelerating blaze. Next door, however, an American Alarm system was on guard with hard-wired smoke and heat sensors on every level of the dwelling. The heat from the fire radiated through the brick firewall between the homes and triggered the smoke/heat sensor in the neighbor's attic.

Within seconds, the American Alarm Central Station staff alerted the neighbors to the fire and dispatched the Brookline Fire Department to the scene. "Our neighbors (who wish to remain anonymous) ran out of their house, and saw the fire coming from my roof. They rang our bell and banged on the door and got us up," Doreen said. "And before I knew it the Brookline Fire Department was here."

Doreen, her husband Jesse and son Alex got out on their own. Doreen's 94-year mother-in-law was carried to safety by the firefighters. Even Anna, the Nicastro's cat, who huddled under a bed in fear of the flames, was rescued by the firefighters.

The fire caused an estimated $1 million in damages. The many personal items the family lost make for a priceless toll. "It was an absolute disaster," Doreen said. "And I just can't believe these other companies get away with installing systems that aren't up to code. Something has to be done about it."

The regulations in Massachusetts are quite clear. When a company installs or modifies any fire alarm system in a dwelling unit, even an older home, the system has to meet current code for new construction. That means a smoke detector on every floor and in or near every bedroom. But far too often, that's not how things work. " There are companies that will pitch customers on a low-cost security system, then throw in one smoke detector for free to close the deal," said Wells Sampson, vice president of American Alarm and Communications Inc. "One hard-wired smoke detector in any dwelling isn't enough. When you're trying to protect people's lives, you can't cut corners."