Arkansas HVACR NewsMagazine April 2018

“CO alarms are not designed for low- level CO monitoring and there have been questions about whether CO alarm standards are protective enough, especially for sensitive groups such as older adults.” When an Arkansan calls a HVACR dealer, they should have the confidence that they have the knowledge and experience to have earned a license, have maintained their knowledge though continuing education, and have a minimum of insurance should a problem occur. I can assure you that every consumer assumes that the state would not allow someone to be in business without these minimal requirements. We are currently in a wave of deregulation, much of which we can agree; however, that wave threatens to wash away the protection that Arkansans want and deserve. Most Arkansans want deregulation but they also want a heating and air conditioning contractor that is licensed, current in their knowledge, and insured. You see, education is the key to solving the Governor’s problem. Education is the key to preventing the problem that almost killed the Ft. Smith family. Education is the cheapest form of regulation. Education takes care of carelessness as well as ignorance. You see, when a person not only knows how to do something but also knows the possible risks of not doing it correctly, they’ll pay attention and do the job right. Our Association stands firmly behind legislation that protects the

health and safety of Arkansans. Fortunately, the Governor’s nose was working well and he alerted the appropriate people. The question is, should he have had to sound the alarm? If the install had been done correctly, if the designer, the encapsulator, and the HVAC contractor had been knowledgeable and working together, the Governor’s nose could have been on the blink and he still would have been safe. I just hope that the Governor’s nose works as well when odorous legislation makes its way toward his desk. I trust that he will sound the alarm then as well as he did when the gas fumes were making their way into his office. We must protect the health and safety of Arkansans

Political Nose

While we don’t have the authority on the state level to change federal policy, my fellow governors and I do have a duty to protect our states’ citizens, and we have a personal responsibility to act when we have the power to do so. Asa Hutchinson