First Alert and NVFC Release Course to Educate Fire Departments on New Smoke Alarm Standards

December 17, 2024

First Alert also donated 250 smoke alarms to increase community safety

First Alert, America’s most trusted fire safety brand*, is partnering with America’s volunteer first responders to sound the alarm on the importance of updated smoke alarm standards. Together with the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC), First Alert developed a new training module focused on significant changes to smoke alarm standards outlined in Underwriters Laboratories (UL) 217, Standard for Smoke Alarms, 8th Edition.

UL 217 Smoke Alarm Standards is now available in the NVFC’s Virtual Classroom.

The new course – the latest in a series of educational trainings developed by First Alert and the NVFC – focuses on the history of smoke alarm standards, advancements in smoke alarm technology, and how the updated edition addresses modern construction materials and home furnishings. The training also provides expert insight for volunteer firefighters interested in conducting a community-based smoke alarm education program.

“First Alert has been protecting homes and families for more than 65 years, providing each generation with reliable, quality, and trustworthy fire safety technology,” said Ashley Gocken, marketing director with First Alert Safety and Security. “Modernizations of the home require updated standards in response, which then demand innovative technology from a trusted, reliable source to monitor and preserve the safety of individuals and their families.”

In addition to the course, First Alert donated 250 Precision Detection™ smoke alarms to volunteer fire departments, which will make an immediate impact on the communities these volunteers serve. The first 10 NVFC members that completed the course each received 25 alarms to distribute or install in their communities.

The product donation will help fire departments increase community safety by equipping more homes with the latest in smoke detection technology. The new First Alert Precision Detection devices are also engineered to address the requirements related to nuisance alarms, the often unwanted and non-emergency alarms that may be caused by non-fire cooking smoke or steam.

“Education is one of the best weapons we have in fighting fire, and remaining aware of the latest standards to protect our communities is a responsibility all volunteer first responders take seriously,” said Steve Hirsch, NVFC chair. “First Alert’s donation of educational and physical resources will help the volunteer fire service better understand the latest smoke alarm standards.”

Take the new course here. This course is free to the first 500 registered participants.

About First Alert
First Alert is the most trusted brand in home safety.* For more than 60 years, First Alert has been committed to providing innovative home safety technologies and products to help protect what matters most. For more information, go to www.firstalert.com.

*First Alert Brand Trust Survey, April 2024 – Results are based on the responses of 1,232 adult homeowners, ages 25 and older, living in the U.S. who completed an online survey asking them to choose from eleven brands in the home security category.

About the NVFC
The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) is the leading nonprofit membership association representing the interests of the volunteer fire, EMS, and rescue services. The NVFC serves as the voice of the volunteer in the national arena and provides critical resources, programs, education, and advocacy for first responders across the nation. Learn more at www.nvfc.org.