Fire can strike anyone, anytime, anywhere.  It won’t be scared away by an alarm, like a burglar would.  A burglar won’t steal your family photo album, but a fire will.  Jewelry can be replaced, but baby pictures can’t.  Even though you have a monitored security system, without monitored smoke detectors your home will never be secure against one of the most dangerous intruders – fire.

One thing monitored here at Unlimited Security is for smoke. Fires can become dangerous quickly.

One thing monitored here at Unlimited Security is for smoke. Fires can become dangerous quickly.

A Few Quick Statistics…

There’s no doubt that smoke detectors are one of the most important safety devices for the home and that they save lives.  But they’re often taken for granted.  According to the National Fire Protection Association’s Fire Loss in the United States During 2012, a home fire occurs every 85 seconds.  There were 2,380 residential fire deaths in 2012; 40% of these occurred in homes with either improperly maintained smoke detectors or no smoke detectors at all.

Just Because You Installed a Standalone Unit Doesn’t Mean You’re Protected  

In homes where smoke detectors were installed, retail standalone models were the standard du jour.  Unfortunately, for various reasons, many of these devices may not provide the protection they promise.  For example: your unit may have been incorrectly installed, may have not received proper maintenance, have expired sensors or dead batteries, and, in some instances, the homeowners may have disabled the device themselves.  What’s more shocking is that less than half of the smoke detectors installed in homes with fires actually operated.  Early warning is essential to effective fire and life safety because emergencies can occur at any time and in any place.

Monitored Smoke Alarms are the Answer  

Most homeowners are completely unaware that they have another option available: monitored, system-connected smoke alarms.  One of the many advantages of a monitored, low voltage smoke detector is that it is monitored through an existing burglar alarm system.  In the event of a fire, or the presence of smoke, an activation signal is sent immediately to the monitoring station.  The station knows immediately the area in your home from which the alarm is coming.  The monitoring station will then attempt to contact you and immediately dispatch the appropriate emergency response persons.

Early notification is extremely important, as it increases evacuation time for residents.  Emergency medical help can be immediately sent to those in need as well, while first responders will have more time to help people exit the building safely, including residents who may have been overcome by smoke or gas and are unable to evacuate on their own.  Overall, having the right protection systems and services is critical to complete protection.  With the potential for loss of life and destruction of personal belongings, they give homeowners peace of mind knowing they are protected and have the best chance of escaping in the event of a fire.  Many insurance companies will even give you a discount on your homeowner’s insurance premium.  Feel free to contact Unlimited Security with any questions that you might have.