Am I over-reacting?

[user1483387861]

Me, OH and two young children stay at the inlaws a few times throughout the year for up to a week. These visits are always really nice and I look forward to them. We were there at Christmas and a relative mentioned that the electrics in one of the rooms were a bit dodgy and that the electrics hadn’t been checked for decades. This worried me a bit given that we all stay there. This then prompted me to think about whether they had smoke alarms in place in case a fire did start. I had a feeling that they hadn’t so made OH ask them and they don’t! OH talked to them about how the alarms could save their lives but they were more pre-occupied with the risk of it going off when they were cooking. So I don’t know whether they will arrange to have them put in place or not. This has made me consider refusing to go when we visit for Easter unless they put smoke alarms in place. I don’t want to blackmail them into getting them against their will but at the same time I feel that I am knowingly putting my children at risk now that I know they don’t have any.

Take one with you. You can’t insist they fit them.

I don’t understand why anyone wouldn’t have any but their home, their decision.

Take one with you.

Buy a combination smoke and carbon monoxide detector £20 and small for your suitcase.

I hadn’t thought of taking one with us. Presumably it would still work if it wasn’t fitted on to a ceiling? Sorry, that might be a stupid question!

Stick it to the ceiling outside your bedroom.

Personally, I wouldn't be staying anywhere that didn't have smoke alarms. I certainly wouldn't take children there. There really is no excuse for not having smoke alarms in this day and age. If they can't put your children's safety above a slight inconvenience of them going off during cooking then I would be questioning their judgement.

I second take one with you. Given you say you have several lovely visits a year though, it sounds as though your relationship can stand another friendly go at trying to get them to have fitted.

Yes

To add, I probably wouldn't go so far as to say 'we have brought our own one with us', but perhaps could you place it somewhere discreet where they might not notice?

I would probably say something like 'would it be ok please if we bought a fire alarm for you and put it up?'

If you ring their local station they can have a home visit to discuss fire safety free. My exfil does this voluntary where he lives. Don't have to say you sent them!!

Do not send the fire service to their house!! I would be furious if someone did this to me.

It’s their choice not to have sensors.

they should check their home insurance - it may be affected if they have no smote alarms. But certainly, take one, or two, when you go - and maybe leave them when you leave!

I know an elderly lady with no family who was found dead behind her back door with her little Westie as she had no alarm. My aunt, her friend, was distraught. They are very selfish imo.

No, you're not overreacting at all. I'd also ring their local fire brigade, the brigades want to give this advice and protect people from fires occurring as much as possible. And, yes, their insurance is probably compromised by this.
Why should you put yourself and your children in danger because they are being pig-headed about this?

I would never allow my children to stay in a home with no fire/smoke detectors. It's totally irresponsible and utter madness. It's 2018, FGS. The question as to whether they save lives has long been answered. I would seriously call into question the intelligence of anyone who doesn't have them in their home.

Just to add the smoke detector will not work properly unless it is up high on a ceiling or top of a wall. Smoke rises and if the alarm isn't up high it won't detect the smoke as early as it should.