Wireless Smoke Detectors

Wireless smoke detectors can save a family while in a deep sleep and do not sense the danger or smell the smoke. A person usually does not notice smells while in deeper levels of sleep but sounds will usually wake a person. There are two main types of detectors; a photoelectric or an ionized smoke detector. Ionization units have a chamber that contains both a positive charge and a negative charge. When smoke enters the unit the drop in negative and positive ions causes the alarm to sound. The photoelectric unit is activated when the smoke blocks the light beam. Ionization units are cheaper than photoelectric units. Photoelectric units may sound when exposed to normal amounts of smoke caused by cooking. Ionized ones usually are not as sensitive but will beep when the battery starts to fail.

Most fire experts recommend using both types of alarms to better equip the home for safety. If one type does not work hopefully the other type will. Wireless smoke detectors can be linked together to all go off if one unit goes off. This can serve to alert everyone in the home and can be very useful especially in larger homes. The recommended amount of units in each home should cover every bedroom, living area, kitchen, and there should be units on every floor of the home. God expects His children to use wisdom and be smart about matters that can affect their own families. "Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counselors there is safety" (Proverbs 11:14).

There are some units that are made to sound through sensing heat and some that alert by detecting carbon monoxide. Some of the newer models have ways to record a message to everyone in the home giving instructions to get out of the house instead of just sounding an alarm. An ionized smoke detector works better in rooms containing flammable liquids or cleaning solutions. They respond quicker to fast fires that are highly flammable where heat is high and smoke is not so bad. Fire experts recommend having both photoelectric and ionized units in each room of the home for maximum protection from any type of fire.

Every family should have a plan in case of fire and each member of the family needs to understand what that plan is. After hearing an alarm one of the first things to do is to get on the floor and check the door of the room for heat. If the door is hot then the person should try to escape through a window. If the door is not hot then the person should slowly open the door while staying as low as possible. If a person has a phone handy they should call the fire department and tell them where their location is especially if they have no way of escaping on their own. Wireless smoke detectors can wake a person up from a deep sleep but if the fire is spreading fast it may still be difficult to get out of the home safely.

When trying to escape in a fire the person should stay close to the floor because heat rises. If the clothes happen to catch fire the best thing a person can do is to stop, drop, and roll; running can cause the fire to increase because oxygen feeds a fire. When a person becomes trapped in a room the most important thing to do is to try to fill up any cracks and keep the smoke out. A person can die from smoke inhalation. If there is a window then it should be opened but only a crack since too much oxygen will draw the fire in. Fire detectors can be lifesavers but if they are not checked occasionally they may not work when needed. An ionized smoke detector will usually beep when the battery needs changing. To keep detectors working longer between checks, a person can consider using long lasting lithium batteries.

To keep a home safe the inhabitants should consider carefully using any substance that could cause a fire and installing an ionized smoke detector where there is a potential risk of fire. Wood burning stoves and fireplaces can become fire hazards and should not be used unless they are properly installed. Portable electric heaters should be used cautiously and be placed in an area free from anything that is combustible. Extension cords can increase the risk of fire if they are not equipped to handle the power going through them. Gasoline should never be used in the home as it is highly combustible. Cigarette lighters and matches can be potential fire starters especially around children. Smoking in bed is another potential fire starter especially if the person who is smoking is tired and might fall asleep while doing so.

Some disabilities put people at a higher risk for harm especially those who are blind and deaf. For those who have hearing and seeing problems wireless smoke detectors will not help much. However, there are alarms that are designed to vibrate and flash. The vibrating ones can be placed under a pillow. The vibrating is activated when the alarm sounds. Seeing-eye dogs can be trained to wake up their masters when an alarm sounds or at the first sign of trouble. A disabled person needs to know where all the doors and windows are in case of an emergency and have a plan of escape in case of fire.

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