Augusta Fire Rescue

Choose The Right Alarms

There are smoke alarms available with different features and applications, so choosing the right alarm can be confusing. Some of the features to consider include:

POWER SOURCE: Smoke alarms can be electrically powered, battery powered, or a combination of both. If you are installing an electrically powered alarm it is recommended that it have a battery back-up in case of power failures.

TECHNOLOGY: most smoke alarms employ either ionization or photo-electric technology. Ionization alarms may respond slightly faster to flaming-type fires, while photo-electric alarms may be quicker at detecting slow, smouldering fires.

PAUSE FEATURE: Smoke alarms with a pause button are highly recommended as it permits the alarm to be temporarily silenced without disconnecting the power source.