KidSmart 10012VSD Vocal Smoke Alarm (White)

Manufacturer: KidSmart
Average Customer Rating:

Batteries Included: 1
Binding: Health and Beauty
Brand: KidSmart
Color: White/Gray
EAN: 0898196000030
Feature: Smoke detector lets parents record a personalized message in their own voice as an alarm
Label: KidSmart
Manufacturer: KidSmart
Model: 10012VSA
Number Of Items: 1
Publisher: KidSmart
Release Date: 2005-09-14
Studio: KidSmart
Variation Description: White/Gray

Features

Smoke detector lets parents record a personalized message in their own voice as an alarm
Nearly three times as effective for waking children compared to traditional smoke detectors
Directional speaker can be aimed at a child's pillow to ensure effectiveness
Record a personalized wake-up message and escape instructions for every bedroom
Measures 6.25 x 3 inches (Diameter x Height)

Accessories

Braun IRT 4020 ThermoScan Ear Thermometer

Health o Meter HDC100-01 "Grow with Me" Teddy Bear Scale for Babies and Toddlers

Editorial Reviews: A house fire is a terrifying prospect, even more so if you have children. To help set your mind at ease, KidSmart has developed a better smoke alarm that is built with children in mind. Specifically designed for the sleeping rooms of adolescents, the KidSmart 10012VSA Vocal Smoke Alarm is the only smoke detector that allows parents to record a personalized message in their own voice, instructing children to wake up and escape safely during an emergency. For example, you could record a message that announces, "Johnny wake up! This is Mom. There's a fire. Stay low and meet us by the mailbox. Johnny wake up!"

To help set parents' minds at ease, KidSmart has developed a better smoke alarm with children in mind.

Record a personalized message in your own voice that instructs your kids to wake up and escape safely during an emergency. View larger.

This smoke alarm is easy to install and powered by four AAA batteries (included). View larger.

Across all age ranges, science shows that humans respond and react more rapidly to a voice that is familiar to them. The amplified, familiar voice message that you record is replayed when the device detects smoke, and your message alternates with a loud, 85-decibel temporal tone siren. Studies have shown that two out of three children sleep through traditional smoke alarms, but children wake to the sound of their parent's voice more than 96 percent of the time -- even from a deep sleep. From these numbers, it can be concluded that the KidSmart Vocal Smoke Alarm is nearly three times as effective when compared to a traditional smoke alarm. In fact, even if children awake to the sound of traditional alarm, they are typically disoriented or frightened. This can delay a child's ability to respond and escape from the fire. And with an average of 40,000 American children killed or injured in house fires each year, every parent should use the KidSmart Vocal Smoke Alarm because a recorded, personalized message alarm can make a critical difference when a fire strikes.

You can record customizable instructions for every bedroom, so each child can receive a personalized set of escape instructions. KidSmart knows that practice is the best way to be prepared when a fire strikes. This alarm has a built-in "Fire Drill" feature that facilitates practice and tests the effectiveness of the alarm and your instructions. Other features include a high-quality, directional alarm speaker that allows you to aim your voice at your child's pillow to help ensure the wake up command and instructions are heard during an emergency.

This smoke alarm is easy to install and powered by four AAA batteries (included). As with all smoke alarms, the battery strength should be tested regularly for safety.

What's in the Box
KidSmart 10012VSA vocal smoke alarm and four AAA batteries.

Spotlight customer reviews:
Customer Rating:

Summary: KidSmart is Parent Smart Too
Comment: I wasn't looking for talking smoke alarms when I found this one at Target. The package indicated that the effective rate was near perfect for smaller children, so I decided to try it.

First off, you'll notice the unit is heavier compared to regular detectors. It contains a very high quality speaker with a large magnet in order to produce the volume required to wake your child up. After listening to my recorded voice I was suprised at the clarity and quality. I returned to the recording mode and recorded my message at a shouting level. The Kidsmart repeated me perfectly, only twice as loud as I shouted .

Recording is simple. It requires 4 AA batteries (Included with the machine), instead of 9 volts. If you have kids, most of their toys run on AA's, so replacements are more readily available for me. Personally I only needed 9V for the Smoke detectors, so I no longer have to keep them on hand.

Immediatly, I can see a difference compared to older "tone" type machines:

The old machine is loud, my kids would put their hands over their ears fiegn pain and complain that it is too loud. This makes me wonder if they would just pull sheets/pillows up over their heads when awakened in the middle of the night.

However, with the KidSmart I already see the "Fun Factor". it grants permission to do something fun; "Get out of bed", "Go downstairs" and "Go to the next door nieghbors house". When I test the machine, they mimic it and say "I should go over to Shannon's house, right?", followed by a very happy "Alright". When my son has friends over, he points out "It talks", "It tells me to go next door", etc.

I believe the constaint reinforcement of what to do in an emergency will make a difference when the time comes. I dont even have to tell them, I just hit the test button and they "Fire Drill" themselves.

These units typically go for $60-70. But they can be had for about $35, if you shop it around some.

Customer Rating:

Summary: This is the best smoke alarm in the market
Comment: I first saw the Vocal Smoke alarm on an NBC nightly new report, which reported the effectiveness of smoke alarms. It was interesting to me that the kids on the program did not wake up with a standard alarm. After that report, I was determined to find the Signal One smoke alarm. I purchased a few at Target and was very happy with how easy it was to record the voice. This is one of my best buys to protect my family. I'm very pleased and would give it 10 stars if I could.

Customer Rating:

Summary: Every kid's room needs one!
Comment: I put this smoke alarm in both of my kids' rooms. It lets you record customized escape instructions for your children so that if the alarm goes off - they know exactly what they should do. I don't worry anymore that they won't wake up or will panic if I can't get to them - they have my voice in their room all the time now!

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