Why is a standalone fire detector needed?

A dismissive attitude towards autonomous fire alarms can still sometimes be heard from our citizens. However, statistics show an increasing number of cases where autonomous fire alarms provide timely warnings of danger, thereby preventing tragedies.

Statistics indicate that over 50% of fatal fires occur while people are asleep. In their sleep, individuals cannot detect the smell of smoke and are therefore most vulnerable. Installing an autonomous fire alarm (hereinafter referred to as AFI) in an apartment can help detect a fire in a timely manner, thus preventing fires, loss of life, and property damage. Thanks to this small, inexpensive device, the lives of over 20 people, including children, are saved annually.

On January 7th, at 1:43 AM, rescuers received a report of a fire in a residential building on Rucevaya Street in the village of Mykovo, Verkhnedvinsk District. Upon arrival at the scene, rescuers observed nothing unusual on the exterior of the one-story, two-apartment residential building.

Residents of apartment No. 1 reported that they were asleep when they heard the sound of an activated autonomous fire alarm. They left their room and detected a slight smell of smoke in the adjacent room. The owner of the apartment, her brother, who has a musculoskeletal disability, and her husband evacuated the building. Subsequently, the woman's husband went to check on the neighbor, but his apartment was already filled with smoke. He did not respond to the neighbors' calls.

Arriving rescuers entered the second apartment and found a burnt male, born in 1954, lying on the floor between the bed and an armchair. In the apartment where the fire originated, the walls and ceiling were smoke-damaged, and the bed and armchair were destroyed. Apartment No. 1 and its residents were unharmed.

An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the fire. The most probable cause is careless handling of fire while smoking by the deceased male.

On January 13th, at 9:08 AM, rescuers received a report of a fire in the village of Dumichi, Kopyľ District. Upon arrival, the emergency services established that a residential building was engulfed in open flames. It was later learned that the owner, while in the kitchen, heard the sound of an autonomous fire alarm and went outside. As a result of the fire, the roof was destroyed, and the walls inside the house were smoke-damaged.

The cause of the incident is being determined. The considered version is the violation of the rules for operating stoves, heat-generating units, and devices (chimney crack).

The API is installed on a horizontal ceiling surface at a distance of at least one meter from lighting fixtures and 0.5 meters from the wall. The detector installation does not require special knowledge or skills. A detailed instruction manual is included, containing all necessary information on installation, design, and operating rules. The device does not spoil the interior at all; its mounting plate is fixed to the ceiling using screws, and the API itself is installed into it by turning clockwise until it stops.

For disassembly, simply turn the device counterclockwise. The detector is powered by a single "Krona" type battery. It is recommended to clean the fire detector from dust with a vacuum cleaner once a year and to check its operability monthly by pressing the test button.

A flashing red LED signal, located on the API housing, indicates its proper functioning and standby mode. Upon detecting smoke, the API emits an intermittent audible signal with a constant red LED illumination. To stop the detector's audible signal, the smoke source must be eliminated and the room ventilated.