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Summary: Home smoke alarms are battery operated or hard wired machines that use ionization or photoelectric sensors to detect smoke from fires. Discover how smoke disrupts and triggers smoke alarms to cause a loud chime with insight from an experienced fire captain in this free video on fire safety.
Captain Joe Bruni has over three decades experience as a street firefighter and company officer. He has experience as a department training officer in the Fire and Rescue Safety &...read more
Firefighters are rescue workers specifically trained to put out fires of all types and sizes. They are trained to handle all types of fires and dangerous scenarios, and to teach fire safety and burn prevention. The job has great physical demands that require lifting another person's body weight, as well as working in extreme heat and perilous situations. Armed with fireproof clothing, axes and water hoses, these selfless heroes answer every fire alarm with steadfastness and courage as they save lives on a daily basis. In this free video series, let an experienced fire captain discuss fire safety and what it takes to be a firefighter. First, learn the difference between battery operated and hard wired smoke alarms. Also, discover how ionization and photoelectric smoke alarms detect smoke in the air. Finally, learn the physical and emotional demands of what it takes to actually become a firefighter.
"They've become common in the last few decades. Have you ever wondered what is a smoke alarm specifically? A smoke alarm is commonly found in many of our homes and residence's today. They can be battery operated or they can be hard wired to the structures electrical systems. The battery operated smoke alarm comes with a cover, that once removed reveals the working inner parts of the smoke alarm. The smoke alarm has a horn that sounds an audible alarm when ever smoke enters the sensing chamber. There's two types of smoke alarms commonly on the market today, ionization and photoelectric. The ionization alarm uses a small radio active source between two electrical contacts, that when smoke particles enter the sensing chamber and disrupts that electrical current flow it sets off the alarm. The photoelectric uses a beam of light, that when that beam of light is disrupted by particles of smoke, it sets off the alarm. Smoke alarms are pretty basic and simple when designed, and they should be checked at least monthly, by pressing the test button on the front of the cover, and hearing an audible sound. When the smoke alarm begins to chirp every so seconds, approximately every 2 minutes, it's a sign that the battery needs to be replaced. We also recommend battery replacement at least twice a year, when we change our clocks, change our battery. I'm Captain Joe Bruni, how a smoke alarm and what it is, and how it works. Stay safe and we'll see you next time."
eHow Article: About Home Smoke Alarms
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