Table of Contents
Advertisement
The Limitations of Smoke Alarms
• Smoke alarms must be tested regularly to ensure that the batteries and alarm circuit
are in good operating condition.
• Smoke alarms cannot provide an alarm if smoke does not reach the alarm. Therefore,
smoke alarm may not sense fires starting in chimneys, walls, on roofs, on the other
side of a closed door, or on a different floor.
• If the alarm is located outside the bedrooms, or on a different floor, it may not wake
up a sound sleeper. A smoke alarm in the bedroom, therefore, is recommended.
• Smoke alarms have been significant in saving lives in many parts of the world. Hence,
the use of this product does not substitute for basic prevention and total protection.
• Although smoke alarms can help save lives by providing early warning of a fire, they
are not a substitute for an insurance policy.
• This smoke alarm alone will not alert the hearing impaired. Use special purpose
smoke alarm with lights or vibrating devices, for those hard of hearing.
• Heat alarms are available to offer greater security when used with smoke alarms.
• Life safety from fire in residential occupancies is based on early notification to
occupants of the need to escape, followed by appropriate egress actions by
occupants. Fire warning systems for dwelling units are capable of protecting about
half of the population in potentially fatal fires. Victims are often intimate with the fire,
too old, young, or physically, mentally impaired that they cannot escape even when
warned early that escape should be possible. For these people, other strategies such
as protection-in-place or assisted escape or rescue are necessary.
19
Advertisement
Table of Contents
