Smoke Alarms and Smoke Detectors First Alert Smoke Alarms and
Smoke Detectors One of the most important fire safety devices
for the home is the smoke alarm or smoke detector. After
becoming generally available in the early 1970's home smoke
alarm sales grew rapidly, so that by 1991, 88% of US homes had
at least one smoke detector in operation. Several studies have
concluded that when working smoke alarms are present, the chance
of dying from the fire is cut in half. The smoke detectors
currently in place have saved thousands of lives, but several
problems exist. First, the 12% of homes without alarms have more
than half of the fires; second, it is estimated that a third of
the smoke alarms in place are not working, often due to failure
to replace a worn out battery; and third, many homes do not have
as many smoke alarms as are needed to protect the occupants
properly. For added protection, check out our selection of
Combination Smoke and CO Alarms or take a look at our First
Alert Smoke Alarm Feature Comparis