7 January 2009

The smoke alarm is marking its 40th anniversary of saving lives this month. In 1969 the first battery-operated home smoke alarm was patented by Americans Randolph Smith and Kenneth House. The anniversary arrives as new research reveals the smoke alarm as our most important gadget.

More than two thirds of people polled in the South East region, which includes Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes, put the smoke alarm in their top three most important gadgets. The survey also reveals that nearly a quarter of South East residents wished the karaoke machine had never been invented!

A smoke alarm gives you valuable time to escape in the event of a fire, but must be maintained properly.

Terry Ridglely, Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service's community safety manager, said: “As this research shows, the advent of the smoke alarm has been one of the most important technological events in recent years. By giving people those precious minutes to escape from fire, the working smoke alarm has saved countless lives over the years.

“Owning a smoke alarm is not enough though - test yours weekly to ensure it remains your potential lifeline for future years to come."

The anniversary coincides with the Fire Kills campaign’s latest television advertising campaign. Pull Your Finger Out will be running throughout January with the message to check your smoke alarm.

Fronted by Julie Walters, the advertisement shows the horrific aftermath of a fire in the home with a burnt out kitchen providing the backdrop to the scene.

Terry's top five tips to stay safe from fire are:

• Fit a smoke alarm – you should have one on each level of your home. 
  
  
• Don’t put alarms in or near kitchens or bathrooms where smoke or steam can set them off by accident. The ideal position is on the ceiling, in the middle of a room, or on the hallway and landing.
  
  
• Test it weekly - a working smoke alarm can give you valuable time to escape.
  
  
• Don’t remove the batteries - if your smoke alarm keeps going off accidentally while you are cooking, don’t remove the batteries. Instead move the alarm or change it for one with a silencer button.
  
  
• Get out, stay out, call 999 - in the event of a fire, leave as quickly and safely as possible. Never go back to get valuables or to investigate the fire.

Results from the Fire Kills gadget survey carried out by TNS Omnibus

Most important gadgets in the South East

Respondents were asked to choose the three most important gadgets:

1 Smoke alarm 73 per cent
2 Seat belt 69 per cent
3 Baby seat 29 per cent
4 Airbag 28 per cent
5 Asthma inhaler 22 per cent
6 Burglar alarm 15 per cent
7 Life jacket 14 per cent
8 Cycle helmet 14 per cent
9 Defibrillator 11 per cent
10 Personal attack alarm 3 per cent

Gadgets people in the South East wish were never invented

Respondents were asked to choose which gadget they wish had never been invented.

1 Karaoke machine 22 per cent
2 24-hour sports channel 19 per cent
3 Video games consoles 12 per cent
4 Mobile phone 10 per cent
5 Hair straighteners 6 per cent
6 Alarm clock 4 per cent
7 Internet 3 per cent
8 Remote control 3 per cent
9 Personal electronic organiser 1 per cent
10 MP3 player 1 per cent

Gadgets people in the South East would like to be invented in the future

Respondents were asked to choose which gadget they would like to see invented in the future.

1 Time machine 17 per cent
2 Robot cleaner 17 per cent
3 Flying car 11 per cent
4 Teleporter 10 per cent
5 Dream making machine 6 per cent
6 Mind reader 5 per cent
7 Invisibility cloak 5 per cent
8 X-ray glasses 5 per cent
9 Luggage shrinking machine 4 per cent
10 Hover board 2 per cent

The decade with the greatest gadgets, according to South East residents

Respondents were asked to choose the decade that they think saw the greatest gadgets.

1 2000s – flat screen TV, wireless technology, chip and PIN, 3G mobile and MP3 player, 32 per cent
2 1960s – smoke alarm, calculator, pacemaker, barcode scanner and lavalamp, 28 per cent
3 1990s – Playstation, Dyson vacuum cleaner, digital answering machine and web TV, 15 per cent
4 1980s – sandwich toaster, satellite TV, karaoke and Apple Mac, 10 per cent
5 1970s – cellular phone, walkman, Rubiks cube, airbag and disposable lighter, 6 per cent

Don’t know - 9 per cent

The survey was conducted via TNS Omnibus on behalf of CLG amongst a representative sample (424) of adults aged 16+ in the South East (Government Office Region), from 14 to 30 November 2008.