The humble smoke alarm is perhaps the most important gadget of any home or workplace; it is after all the first line of defence for one of the most destructive forces known to man – fire. The standard smoke alarm omits an audible sound to warn occupants, some even use visual warnings but there is only one on the market that sends text messages, aptly named fire text.
The system holds a pay-as-you go sim card which can be pre-programmed with up to four numbers, if smoke is detected in the vicinity the alarm goes off and an instant text message is sent out to all of the stored numbers. The inventor suggests that this system is ideal for vulnerable, elderly or disabled relatives. We’d suggest it could be useful for anyone away from home, whether that be on holiday, away for the evening or simply away from another residence or workplace.
Matthew Newman, firetext inventor, was thrilled with his fourth place in the Ideal Home Awards. He has previously won a regional competition sponsored by Barclays Bank where he won funding to develop the product further and bring it to market.
At this stage Firetext is being put through its paces with an extensive trial with Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, they are also working with the Alzheimer’s society. The £10 sim card charges just 4p per text so will last the life of the smoke alarm and more, it really does seem like a great idea and can fully understand why it has won awards.
