Smoke Detector

Hi there. Look up. Way up on the ceiling. See that little round disc? That’s me. My name is Smoke Detector, and I’m your family’s little guardian. My job is very, very important. I stay awake all day and all night, watching over your house even when you are tucked in and dreaming. You might think I’m just sleeping up here, but I’m always working. I have a special superpower: a super-sensitive nose. It’s not like your nose that smells yummy cookies baking or fresh flowers in a vase. My nose is designed to smell something sneaky and dangerous that can hide in the air. That sneaky thing is called smoke. I can smell even a tiny puff of it long before anyone else in the house can. I’m always on alert, sniffing the air, making sure everything is safe and sound while you play, eat, and sleep.

A long, long time ago, families didn’t have a little helper like me watching over them from the ceiling. A very smart and caring man named Duane Pearsall thought that wasn't right at all. He worried about families and wanted to make sure they were always safe from fires. He knew that fires could start quietly when people were asleep and couldn't smell the danger. So, back in the year 1965, he got to work. He spent a lot of time thinking and tinkering in his workshop. He wanted to create a small, simple alarm that anyone could have in their home. And he wanted it to work with batteries, so it would keep watching even if the lights went out. He called his creation 'me'. So how does my super-sniffer work? It's pretty neat. Inside me, there's a special sensor. It's always checking the air for tiny, tiny bits of smoke that you can't even see. When those little smoke particles float up to me and go inside my nose, my sensor knows right away. It sends a signal that says, 'Danger. It's time to get LOUD'. Mr. Pearsall made sure I was easy to install, so I could get to work protecting families right away.

When my super-sniffer smells smoke, it’s my big moment to shine. Or, I should say, my big moment to shout. I take a big breath and let out my superpower sound: BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. I know my voice is very loud, and it might surprise you, but it’s loud for a reason. My job is to be so loud that I can wake up everyone in the house, even the deepest sleepers. My beep is a message that says, 'Wake up. Something is wrong. It's time to go outside and be safe'. I am so proud that I get to be a guardian in millions of homes, schools, and buildings all over the world. I am a loyal friend, always ready to help keep you safe. All I ask for in return is a little help from you. To keep my sniffing and beeping powers strong, I just need a fresh battery once in a while. That way, I can always be ready to be your loud and loyal friend.