Researchers from the University of Strathclyde's Centre for Forensic Science and Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service have raised concerns over the effectiveness of smoke detectors after a study showed 80 percent of children participants slept through smoke detector alarms.
Researchers from the University of Strathclyde's Centre for Forensic Science and Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service conducted a study to look into the effectiveness of standard domestic smoke detectors and were disappointed with the results. The study was carried out on 34 children aged between two and 13 years. 14 of the children were boys and 20 girls. During the study, 80 percent of children slept through smoke detector alarms. The test was conducted six times and only 7 children woke up to the alarms in total. Only two children woke up all six times and none of the boys woke up any of the six times.
Though the study didn't aim to question the value of smoke detectors in alerting people about fire breakouts or their capacity to help save lives, researcher thought it was majorly concerning that children failed to wake up during such alarms.
'While the results of this study remain preliminary given the number of children involved, they do highlight concerns that cannot be ignored about the effectiveness of smoke detectors in waking children." Professor Niamh Nic Daeid of Strathclyde's Centre for Forensic Science said in a news statement. "Further research is required to build on the findings to date and investigate robust solutions to the issues highlighted."
The study was a part of Dave Coss, East Midlands Regional Fire Investigation Dog Handler and Watch Manager with Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service's Masters Degree taken at the University of Strathclyde.
After the study, researcher emphasize on the importance of having a working smoke alarm on every level of the home as well as having a pre-planned and practiced escape route or plan that everyone in the home, whether a family member or overnight guest, is aware of.
