A comprehensive report on smoke alarm effectiveness was completed for Fire Protection Association (FPA) Australia to aid fire protection officials around the world in drafting legislation that more accurately reflects the international de facto standard. Research shows that photoelectric smoke alarms are more effective than ionization units in most residential fire situations. The current warning tone was shown to be ineffective and should be replaced with a 520 Hz square wave pattern. Analysis of a successful (70% return rate) international survey indicates current compliance monitoring and enforcement practices are insufficient in many regions. A database was developed for FPA Australia through compilation of the survey responses.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Potts, Brian Francis
• Meklenburg, John William
• Moise, Kemal F
• Manchester, Timothy John

Subject

• Security
• Computing
• Health
• Well-Being

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• E-project-051309-224722

Stichwort

• Fire prevention
• Fire protection engineering

Advisor

• Weininger, Stephen J.
• Kinicki, Robert

Year

• 2009

Center

• Melbourne, Australia Project Center - IQP

Sponsor

• Fire Protection Association Australia

Date created

• 2009-05-13

Ort

• Melbourne

Resource type

• Interactive Qualifying Project

Rights statement

• In Copyright