Older Adults May Not Hear Smoke Alarm

A study conducted by the Fire Protection Research Foundation finds that older adults do not wake up when the typical household smoke alarm goes off. Most smoke alarms emit a high-pitched signal, but they do not appear to be the best choice of alarm for older adults. The researchers found that adults over age 65 woke more successfully when a mixed frequency alarm was used. They also found that increasing the volume of the alarm was also necessary for successful wakening.