Waking Effectiveness of Household Smoke and Fire Detection Devices.
Waking Effectiveness of Household Smoke and Fire
Detection Devices.
(54944 K)
Nober, E. H.; Peirce, H.; Well, A. D.; Johnson, C. C.;
Clifton, C.
NBS GCR 80-284; 85 p. October 1980.
Fire Journal, Vol. 75, No. 4, 86-91,130, July 1981.
Sponsor:
National Bureau of Standards, Gaithersburg, MD
Available from:
National Technical Information Service
Order number: PB80-127565
Keywords:
adults; fire alarm systems; auditory perception; decibel
levels; fire departments; noise (sound); sleep; smoke
detectors; wakefulness; residential buildings; human
behavior
Abstract:
Normal-hearing, young adults were subjected to home
smoke detector alarm signals of 85, 70, and 55 dBA while
asleep in their own bedrooms under quiet background
conditions. In addition, other adults received 70 and
55 dBA alarm signals masked by window air conditioner
background noise. Each person, upon awakening from the
alarm signal, was instructed to shut off the alarm and
telephone the local fire department. The 85, 70, and 55
dBA alarm levels were all sufficient to awaken the
subjects at varying hours of the night and days of the
week, under quiet background conditions. While there
were statistically significant differences in waking
times between 55 dBA and the other two alarm levels, the
total times never exceeded 115 seconds for the combined
alarm shutoff and the fire department telephone call at
any alarm level. With background noise, waking times
for the 70 and 55 dBA alarm levels increased (85 dBA not
tested). At 70 dBA, the total time for the alarm
shutoff and the fire department telephone call ranged
from 36 to 119 seconds. At 55 dBA, two persons failed
to awaken and one person awakened after the four-minute
test termination criteria. For the remaining seven
persons, the total time for the combined alarm shutoff
and the fire department telephone call ranged from 45 to
137 seconds.
