Gilbert, S.
, Cleary, T.
, Reneke, P.
, Peacock, R.
and Butry, D.
(2021),
Response Time Impact of Smoke Alarms, Technical Note (NIST TN), National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, [online], https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.TN.2174, https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=932932
(Accessed April 18, 2024)
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Response Time Impact of Smoke Alarms
Published
Author(s)
, , , Richard Peacock,
Abstract
It can be assumed that smoke alarms reduce reported fires and casualties by reducing on average the amount of time it takes to detect a fire. This paper sets out to determine by how much that detection time is reduced. It does so by comparing the effect of smoke-alarm presents (and time of day) to the effect of fire-department travel time using data from the National Fire Incident Reporting System. On average, smoke alarms reduce reporting time by 19.2 (± 0.016) minutes. This is comparable to the average time delay from having a fire at night. If smoke alarms are present, having a fire at night (between the hours of 11 and 6) adds 18.1 (± 0.013) minutes, and without an alarm, having a fire at night adds on average 20.5 (± 0.024). Smoke alarms are more effective at night, saving 2.4 (± 0.016) minutes more at night than during the day.Citation
Technical Note (NIST TN) - 2174
Report Number
2174
NIST Pub Series
Pub Type
NIST Pubs
Download Paper
Keywords
Fire, Home Fires, Smoke Alarms, Response Time
Citation
Created September 9, 2021, Updated November 29, 2022