Industry experts recommend installing interconnected smoke alarms on every level of your home and in every sleeping area as a part of a comprehensive fire safety program.  Having interconnected alarms in new construction is already a requirement of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 101 Life Safety Code, as this feature enables all alarms to sound when any individual alarm detects smoke to help provide an early notification.

There are easy solutions for wirelessly interconnecting smoke alarms in homes that do not have hardwired alarms installed. First Alert offers a new wireless smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarm series providing homeowners with whole-home safety in fire and CO emergency situations.  The new alarm series uses First Alert ONELINK® Technology, which allows homeowners to create a network of alarms that “talk” to each other with no wiring required.  When one alarm sounds, all alarms respond, providing an immediate warning and giving everyone in the home a better chance of hearing the alarms and reacting quickly.   

Upgrading to a whole-home safety network is easy.  Homeowners simply install two or more battery-operated, First Alert ONELINK alarms in different areas of their homes.  Until ONELINK alarms, having hardwired alarms was the only way to ensure all alarms sounded when one detected smoke or CO.

For those in need of new smoke alarms, a wide variety of innovative products are available with an assortment of features to meet different needs.  Following are just a few of the safety and convenience options incorporated into today’s array of high-tech smoke alarms:

Long-life 10-year lithium batteries – eliminates the need for battery replacement for the 10-year life of the alarm.

Bright escape lights – lights the way to safety in case of an emergency.

Strobe technology – provides visual alerts for the hearing-impaired.

Remote-controlled mute – Infrared sensor allows for easy, hands-free silencing and testing of alarm function with most conventional remote controls.

Talking Alarms – When programmed correctly, alarms with this feature installed can verbally warn you of the type and location of the danger.

Smoke alarms are a fundamental component to any household safety plan. They may provide critical time to find your way to safety in the event of a fire. So take time and do your research to find the types of smoke alarms that are best suited to help protect you and your family.

*The First Alert survey results are based on the responses of 1,000 adults in the United States who answered a telephone survey from Jan. 29 through Feb. 1, 2009. Results are accurate to +/-3 percent points with a 95 percent confidence level and can be generalized to the entire U.S. adult population.

Smoking Out the Facts About Home Fire Detection

Fire is a deadly threat to any household. It can strike anywhere, at any time. The frightening truth is that in 2005, there were nearly 381,000 home fires in the U.S. resulting in over 16,000 injuries and deaths combined*. You must be prepared by using the tools for fire protection.

Smoke alarms provide a warning of fire. Smoke alarms are the easiest, most cost-efficient way to alert your family of a developing fire. The more smoke alarms you have installed in your home, the more your chances increase that you will be alerted to a fire.

Fire extinguishers provide a tool to fight small fires. Having a fire extinguisher in your home can increase your chances of keeping a small fire from getting out of control and becoming a deadly rage.

Using both smoke alarms and fire extinguishers in your home, along with knowing what to do in case of fire, can help save your life! Fire can be a preventable tragedy!

What do I need to know about fire?

Fire can and might happen to you! You must be prepared and have the knowledge to escape safely. Fire is darker, smokier, hotter, and faster than you can imagine. You must know what fire is like to increase the chances of a safe escape. The following are four important facts to remember:

1. Smoke is dark. Most people expect fire to be light. For this reason, people have been trapped in their homes because they could not find their way out in the dark -- they didn't have a flashlight and didn't practice an escape plan.

2. Smoke can be deadly. Since most fire fatalities occur between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. when most people are sleeping -- the only thing standing between the deadly fumes of fire and a safe escape maybe the piercing sound of a smoke alarm.

3. Fire has intense heat. Fire can cause the temperature to rise several hundred degrees in just seconds. The heat is so intense that it can cause the human body to stop functioning altogether - -one breath can cause severe lung damage. The heat alone can cause someone to become unconscious and not be able to escape. Escape time can be valuable.

4. Time is critical. A residential home can be totally consumed in flames in less than five minutes from the start of a fire! A home fire can double in size is just 30 seconds.* You must know what to do in order to help get you and your family out safely. A closed door is often the best way to stall a fire; by closing the door, you may save yourself seconds to use an alternate escape route.

I have one smoke alarm in my home. Is that enough protection against fire?

No, several smoke alarms and fire extinguishers must be installed and maintained for proper fire protection. The NFPA recommends smoke alarms be installed on every level of the home, and inside every bedroom and sleeping area. Smoke alarms should also be installed in the main corridor outside each bedroom area. Fire extinguishers should be installed on each living level, as well as in rooms that pose potential fire hazards (i.e., kitchen, garage, workshop).

Installing and maintaining smoke alarms and fire extinguishers dramatically increases your family's chances of surviving a fire.

Many laws require that you install at least one smoke alarm on every level of your home. It is also important to install at least one fire extinguisher in a convenient location on each level. The most basic protection for any home would be to install one smoke alarm and one fire extinguisher on each level. However, check your local building code since many require alarms also in each bedroom. 

Other important considerations include:

1. Mount smoke alarms in the middle of the ceiling when ceiling mounted. If that is not possible mount detectors on the wall at least three feet away from a corner and 4 - 6 inches away from the ceiling.

2. Keep smoke alarms away from drafts created by fans or air ducts. The moving air can blow smoke away from the sensor.

3. Avoid placing smoke alarms too near the kitchen stove and bathroom shower, as cooking smoke and shower steam can cause nuisance alarms.

4. Mount basement alarms at the bottom of the basement stairwell.

5. Mount fire extinguishers on a wall 3 1/2 to 5 feet above the floor. The location should be near an exit or an escape route from the room.

There are two basic types of smoke alarms: ionization and photoelectric. Both are effective at detecting smoke, yet each has a unique detecting system.

Ionization technology is generally more sensitive than photoelectric technology at detecting small particles which tend to be produced in greater amounts by flaming fires, which consume combustible materials rapidly and spread quickly. Sources of these fires may include paper burning in a wastebasket, or a grease fire in the kitchen.

Photoelectric technology is generally more sensitive than ionization technology at detecting large particles, which tend to be produced in greater amounts by smoldering fires, which may smolder for hours before bursting into flame. Sources of these fires may include cigarettes burning in couches or bedding. Each type of detector also comes as AC-operated smoke alarms or battery-operated smoke alarms. Some AC alarms even come with a battery back-up system. Additional options can include an escape light, silencing button, or remote control mute feature.

Fire extinguishers are categorized by ratings. These ratings determine the size and type of fire that the extinguisher can successfully put out. Fire can be divided into three categories: A, B, or C. An "A" type fire is primarily wood, paper and fabric. "B" type fires are primarily flammable liquids (such as gasoline) and oil based. Finally, "C" type fires are electrical in nature.

The number preceding the A, B, or C rating determines how big of a professionally set fire the extinguisher can put out. For example, a 10-B:C extinguisher would be able to handle a 25 foot square fire of either flammable liquid or electrical origin. A 5-B:C extinguisher could handle a 12.5 square foot fire that is flammable liquid or electrical based.

First, establish how many you will need and where you will install each alarm and extinguisher. Once you know which rooms will have smoke alarms and fire extinguishers, you can determine which features are best suited for that area.

Always choose a product which carries a standards approval symbol from a Nationally Accredited Laboratory (such as ETL or UL). This will assure you that the product has passed many stringent tests and will offer quality protection.

Smoke alarms and fire extinguishers are relatively easy to maintain; yet, improper maintenance is the biggest reason smoke detectors and fire extinguishers fail. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU MAINTAIN ALL YOUR SMOKE ALARMS AND FIRE EXTINGUISHERS:

• Test your smoke alarms weekly by pressing the test button and your fire extinguisher by checking the pressure gauge.

• Replace the battery in each smoke alarm at least once a year. Better yet, when you change your clock for daylight saving time, change your battery.

• Never remove the battery except when replacing it with a fresh battery.

• Clean the smoke alarm at least once a year. 

Follow the instructions in the product's User's Manual for specific instructions on how to install and maintain your smoke alarms and fire extinguishers.

Choosing the Right Smoke Alarm

According to a study by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), an estimated 890 lives could be saved each year in the United States if all homes had working smoke alarms.  First Alert, one of the most recognized safety brands in America, offers an array of smoke alarms to meet almost any family’s needs.

What Types of Smoke Alarms Are There?
Smoke alarms can be found with a variety of features and added benefits to help maximize home safety, however it is important to know there are two main types of smoke alarms. They are differentiated by the smoke sensing technology they are constructed with. These technologies are called ionization and photoelectric smoke sensors and differ by the way they react to a fire occurrence:

Ionization technology smoke alarms are generally more sensitive than photoelectric technology smoke alarms at sensing small particles, which tend to be produced in greater amounts by hot, flaming fires, that are consuming combustible materials rapidly and may spread quickly. Sources of these fires may include paper burning in a wastebasket, or a grease fire in the kitchen.

Photoelectric technology is generally more sensitive than ionization smoke detector technology at sensing large smoke particles, which tend to be produced in greater amounts by smoldering fires, which may smolder for hours before bursting into flame. Sources of these fires may include cigarettes burning in couches or bedding.

For maximum protection, industry experts recommend the use of both types of technology on each level and in every bedroom of your home. Regardless of what type of smoke alarm you have in your home, First Alert® recommends replacing smoke alarms every 10 years.

How can I help protect against carbon monoxide poisoning?

Early warning is important: Install one or more alarms The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recommends that every home have at least one carbon monoxide alarm with an audible warning signal installed near the sleeping area. Choose a CO alarm that is tested and listed by a Nationally Accredited Lab such as ETL or UL.

Have your appliances checked regularly. Have a qualified appliance technician check all fossil fuel burning appliances, venting and chimney systems at least once a year, or as recommended by the manufacturer.

Where should I look for potential sources of carbon monoxide in the home?

A forced air furnace is frequently the source of leaks and should be carefully inspected by a professional.

• Have a professional measure the concentration of carbon monoxide in the flue gases.

Have a professional do the following:

• Check furnace connections to the flue pipes and venting systems.

• Check furnace filters and filtering systems.

• Check forced air fans for proper installation and to assure correct air flow of flue gases.

• Check the combustion chamber and internal heat exchanger for cracks, holes, corrosion or dirt/debris.

• Check burners and ignition systems and pilot lights.

• Check fireplaces for closed, blocked or bent flues, soot and debris.

• Check all venting systems to the outside of your home. This includes checking flues and chimneys for cracks, corrosion, holes, debris or blockage. Animals and birds can build nests in chimneys, preventing gases from escaping. Vibrations can shake vent pipes loose from gas dryers or water heaters, preventing CO from being vented properly outside.

• Check all other appliances in the home that use fossil fuels such as natural gas, oil, propane, wood or kerosene. Appliances include water heaters, clothes dryers, kitchen ranges, gas heaters, ovens or cooktops, wood-burning stoves, gas refrigerators or alternative power sources such as generators.

• Be sure space heaters are vented properly. Unvented space heaters that use a fossil fuel such as kerosene or propane can release carbon monoxide into the home.

• Barbecue grills should never be operated indoors under any circumstances.

• Stove tops or ovens that operate on fossil fuels should never be used to heat a residence.

• Check the clothes dryer vent opening. Lint may block proper venting outside the house

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