Don't compromise your family's fire safety

(BPT) - Most people have experienced the shriek of a smoke alarm when cooking a meal or stepping out of a steamy shower, when there is no hazard present. The instant reaction is to find a way to silence the alarm. Unfortunately, some people may even pull down the alarm to make the piercing sound stop. To avoid the problem in the future, many choose not to reinstall the smoke alarms, creating a potentially deadly situation.

In fact, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reports that two-thirds of home fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.

Nuisance alarms, as they are called, are caused by numerous sources such as cooking, dust and insect infestation - but no matter the source, if you've heard them, you don't want to experience them again. Since many of these day-to-day issues are difficult to avoid, the best solution to virtually eliminate the nuisance and keep your alarm intact is to choose a smart smoke alarm, such as the IoPhic smoke and fire alarm. With a microprocessor that changes sensitivity according to the nuisance source, the IoPhic smart technology is inherently immune to elements such as dust and steam.

James Milke, professor and chair of the Department of Fire Protection Engineering at the University of Maryland, is constantly stressing the importance of installing the appropriate alarm and keeping it properly maintained to ensure the maximum safety for your family.

"As an expert in fire engineering, I can say that disabling smoke alarms after a nuisance incidence is a very serious problem and can lead to extremely dangerous situations for families. The best solution to protect your family is to purchase a smoke alarm that adapts to many situations and only sounds in the case of a fire," says Milke. "In a study I recently conducted at the University of Maryland testing 10 different smoke alarm technologies, the IoPhic smoke and fire alarm from Universal Security Instruments was found to be an improvement in smoke alarm technology."

The first new technology to launch in more than 30 years and first ever smart alarm, the IoPhic smoke and fire alarm from Universal Security Instruments uses Universal Smoke Sensing Technology to help prevent nuisance alarms. The recent study from the University of Maryland's School of Fire Protection Engineering confirmed that the new IoPhic line of smoke and fire alarms are more resistant to nuisance alarms, even while you are cooking.

In addition to safely reducing nuisance incidences by using a smart alarm, families should take the following steps to ensure fire safety in their homes:

* Smoke alarms should be installed in every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement.

* Smoke alarms are an important part of a home fire escape plan, but remember they are only one step. Keep your family prepared for a fire emergency by creating a plan and practicing it once a month.

* Keep yourself up-to-date on the fire safety industry by reading resources such as NFPA.org (National Fire Protection Association).

For more information, visit www.SmokeAlarms.com.