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Every year we receive hundreds of letters from families whose lives and homes were saved by a First Alert product. Do you have a story you would like to share? If so, please write to us at:

Consumer Affairs Department
First Alert
3901 Liberty Street Road
Aurora, IL 60504-8122
(USA)



Early fall 2007, my boyfriend Phil and I were watching an HGTV show on kitchen products and were impressed with the First Alert Tundra. I purchased one at Sunshine Ace Hardware, the only place in town that had any in stock.

One day in mid-October we were preparing the house for overnight guests. I had been working hard and was tired and hungry and decided to make some toast. I used a new toaster we had purchased a couple of weeks prior and wasn't wearing the reading glasses that I use for close-up vision. After walking out of the kitchen I started smelling smoke. I returned and saw flames coming out of the toaster, just inches below the new wooden cabinets. The Tundra was on the counter; I simply pulled of the cap and sprayed. It quickly put out the fire. When I pulled out the pieces of charred bread from the toaster, I found a burnt instruction book in there as well, and that's how the fire started (not naming any names as to who may have put it in there in the first place!).

I know that if I had to deal with a traditional fire extinguisher I would have wasted extra seconds pulling out pins and what not. I was very impressed with the Tundra's ease of operation and the foam easily wiped off the counter. After telling friends my story, I found that they either don't have a fire extinguisher, or feel as I do, that it looks complicated to use. So we have purchased 12 Tundra's for Christmas gifts.

Congratulations on a practical and useful product.

Sincerely,

Mary P.
Naples, Florida
December 2007


I had a scary experience this weekend. I have a propane fireplace in my kitchen, and after the Thanksgiving dinner, somebody placed the flower centerpiece on that stove. In the morning, I turned the fireplace on, without even noticing the centerpiece . . . and about a half hour later, it burst into flames. I'm a elderly widow living alone, and I tell you I went into the panic mode. I threw a tablecloth to try to smother the fire, then a rug, both of which started to burn. I have visions of burning my home down.

Then, I remembered the TUNDRA! I had bought it months ago, and just forgot it. I pulled it out of the cupboard and sprayed it on the fire, and it went out instantly!

I know you have a great product, but I had just not planned on what to do in case of emergency. But thank goodness for TUNDRA. I believe it saved my home.

I have now purchased three more cans of this for myself. One for my second propane fireplace in the living room, and the others for my car and garage. I'm also buying them for every family member . . . first time I ever gave a gift that I hope they will never use!

I can't thank you enough for this product.

Shirley S.
Puyallup, Washington
November 2007


On August 27, 2007 my house burnt to the ground. No one was hurt, and I believe that if anyone was home, they would have escaped unharmed. Of the six First Alert detectors in my home, all six sounded. I am sending you the only salvageable one that was on the ground floor. What is interesting is that even though this detector is badly damaged, the red light remained on for six days after. The three in the basement were shut off by removing the batteries, and only by that. I am impressed by your product and hope that you will educate the general public on the need of smoke and heat protection. Thank you.

Michael H.
Evansville, Indiana
October 2007


My daughter had a headache the night before and couldn't concentrate on studying for her test. I told her to go to bed. Thanks to the CO alarm – She woke up! The CO level in her room was 155ppm when the fire department checked it – about 45 minutes after the alarm sounded. The alarm saved our lives.

Denise L.
Red Oak, Texas
September 2007


I find myself writing one [of] the last thank you letters to the people who I should have written to first. That is, the people who manufacture the "First Alert Smoke Detector."

On January 10, 2007 at 5:00am, while I was at work, our house was destroyed by fire. If not for your alarm my life could have tragically been altered by my wife and son NOT being awakened and not being able to get out of the house in time.

Thanks to your little $14.XX device everyone is safe.

I just wanted to let you know that your work is not in vain and that you do a great service to mankind. Keep up the good work and may God bless every one of you!

Mark B.
Wheatley, Ontario, Canada
February 2007


I stayed calm and went for the fire extinguisher that my husband always keeps under the kitchen sink-I'm so glad he did that! I read the directions & sprayed [the fire] out-it went out quickly! I then called for more information on cleaning up. I was so thankful that no one got hurt & that the fire extinguisher was right there-thank you for a great product!

Amy G.
Waverly, IA
December, 2006



...At first I thought it was my carbon monoxide detector, but I didn't smell carbon monoxide. (I realized later that smelling carbon monoxide does no good and that you do stupid things like smelling for carbon monoxide when you're half asleep and confused.) Since it wasn't the carbon monoxide alarm, I looked around and noticed the smoke alarm light on at the top of the steps. (I got the smoke alarm with the light so we could find the exits easily in case of a fire, because I heard that smoke was so thick you couldn't see anything.) ...

I am so very grateful that the First Alert alarm worked so well! Within just a few minutes the alarm went off, and even though I am a very heavy sleeper I heard it within the first 1-3 beeps. It continued to beep until the smoke was gone, and the light helped me to pinpoint with alarm was going off.

I have since told everyone about the wonderful alarm, and I will DEFINITELY recommend it to everyone I know. Every family should be so fortunate to have such a wonderful alarm, even thought it costs more money, because it definitely saves lives. Thank you very much for ensuring our family's safety with such a WONDERFUL product!

Nichole C.
Pittsburgh, PA
September, 2006


I would like to take time to thank you for such a wonderful product. Last night about four in the morning while my family and I slept so peacefully in our rooms a fire started in our living room... ...That was until I awoke in a daze to a loud beeping sound. At first I was unsure where it was coming from and initially thought it was my alarm clock. Then I realized the house was full of smoke and I lunged from my bed to see what was going on. At that moment I knew the sound I was hearing was my fire alarm and carbon monoxide detectors doing their job as designed to do.

...If it were not for your product I do not feel I would be writing this letter to you today. My family would be wondering why I had not purchased and installed a fire alarm.

Frederick R.
Bellevue, NE
December, 2004


We would like to express our sincerest thanks to the "First Alert" Family for saving our lives this past February when we lost our home and all of our personal belongings to a horrible fire. Fortunately, the smoke detector inside our bedroom woke us and gave us just enough time to escape with minor injuries.

Although there was barely anything recognizable left of our home, we managed to dig the "still alarming" First alert Smoke Detector out of the rubble a few days later. The smoke detector was melted so badly that we could not remove the battery, however it continued to alarm for nearly eight days. We are going to create a shadow box to display it in our new home as a reminder of how important it is to always be prepared.

We are also proud to promote your products, and tell everyone how your smoke detector saved our lives.

Lucy B. & Dave P.
Baltimore, MD
May, 2004


An ice storm had knocked out electricity and phones. Our driveway was blocked by fallen trees. All roads were blocked. We live half a mile off the road and 10 miles from town. We couldn't call for help, nobody could have gotten to us, and nobody would have seen anything until it was TOO LATE.

[An] overloaded fireplace during the ice storm [caught fire]. My husband yelled for the fire extinguisher. I grabbed it from the hall closet and by husband put out the fire.

THANK YOU FOR SAVING US!

Kellye P.
Paris, KY
February, 2003