First Alert FA162C - Manual (Page 47)

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WARNING! THE LIMITATIONS OF THIS ALARM SYSTEM
While this system is an advanced design security system, it does not offer guaranteed protection against burglary or fire
or other emergency. Any alarm system, whether commercial or residential, is subject to compromise or failure to warn
for a variety of reasons. For example:
•
Intruders may gain access through unprotected openings or have the technical sophistication to bypass an alarm
sensor or disconnect an alarm warning device.
• Intrusion detectors (e.g. passive infrared detectors), smoke detectors, and many other sensing devices will not work
without power. Battery operated devices will not work without batteries, with dead batteries, or if the batteries are not
put in properly. Devices powered solely by AC will not work if their AC power supply is cut off for any reason,
however briefly.
• Signals sent by wireless transmitters may be blocked or reflected by metal before they reach the alarm receiver.
Even if the signal path has been recently checked during a weekly test, blockage can occur if a metal object is
moved into the path.
• A user may not be able to reach a panic or emergency button quickly enough.
• While smoke detectors have played a key role in reducing residential fire deaths in the United States, they may not
activate or provide early warning for a variety of reasons in as many as 35% of all fires, according to data published
by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Some of the reasons smoke detectors used in conjunction with this
System may not work are as follows. Smoke detectors may have been improperly installed and positioned. Smoke
detectors may not sense fires that start where smoke cannot reach the detectors, such as in chimneys, in walls, or
roofs, or on the other side of closed doors. Smoke detectors also may not sense a fire on another level of a
residence or building. A second floor detector, for example, may not sense a first floor or basement fire. Moreover,
smoke detectors have sensing limitations. No smoke detector can sense every kind of fire every time. In general,
detectors may not always warn about fires caused by carelessness and safety hazards like smoking in bed, violent
explosions, escaping gas, improper storage of flammable materials, overloaded electrical circuits, children playing
with matches, or arson. Depending upon the nature of the fire and/or the locations of the smoke detectors, the
detector, even if it operates as anticipated, may not provide sufficient warning to allow all occupants to escape in
time to prevent injury or death.