First Alert History

They were the beeps heard around the world...

As a part of the American Household,SM Inc. family, BRK Brands Inc. is a leading global consumer products company that designs, manufactures and markets, nationally and internationally, a diverse portfolio of consumer products.

BRK Electronics ® and First Alert ® -branded products continue to challenge the industry standards, and our engineers are continually evaluating designs to see how they might change to meet families’ ever-changing needs.

The First Alert ® brand of products has been recognized in the industry for its leadership efforts:

• 2004 Golden Hammer Gold Level Award Winner
• 2003 Golden Hammer Gold Level Award Winner
• 2002 SPARC Award Winner
• 2001 Popular Mechanics Editor’s Choice Award
• 2001 Good Housekeeping’s "Good Buy" Award
• 1999 CHAMPS Award for winning marketing strategy in the consumer category
• 1999 EFFIE Award for "Be Safe...Replace" campaign, most effective advertising campaign in the health aids category
• 1997 Pinnacle Award for the Standard for Excellence
  
  

History / Timeline

• 1958 The company was organized by Burke (B), Roberts (R) and Kimberline (K)=BRK
• 1964 First commercial smoke detector produced by BRK ®
• 1969 First battery-powered smoke detector to receive UL listing
• 1970 In May, Pittway bought the company
• 1974 Sears began selling BRK SS74R Battery Smoke Alarm. Sales were so good that GE, ® Norelco, Water Pik, and Gillette entered the retail market
• 1976 BRK developed its own retail sales program
• 1982 Rechargeable lanterns were introduced
• 1984 System Sensor was formed–commercial
• 1985 Fire extinguisher business started, and flashlights were introduced
• 1986 Full line of lighting and timing products including PIR
• 1992 The company was sold to T.H. Lee & Associates
• 1993 Battery-operated carbon monoxide alarm was introduced
• 1995–1996 A line of childcare and eldercare products and a line of fire safes were introduced
• 1997 Combination smoke and carbon monoxide alarm was introduced
• 1998 The company was sold to Sunbeam Corporation in March
• 2002 American Household,SM Inc. is formed. First Alert ® and BRK Electronics ® is merged with Coleman Powermate

Today, as part of the Sunbeam family, First Alert® products continue to challenge the industry standards, and our engineers are continually evaluating designs to see how they might change to meet your families' ever-changing needs.