Editing Alarm device (section)

==History and development==
Early alarm devices were often [[bell]]s, [[drums]], other musical instruments, or any items which made unusual loud noises that attracted the attention of the surrounding population.

Whistles were used by police in the 19th century. [[Steam whistle]]s have been used on locomotives, ships, and in factories as alarm devices.

With the advent of electricity, a variety of other alerting devices have been invented, such as [[buzzer]]s, [[klaxon]]s, [[siren (alarm)|sirens]], [[horn (acoustic)|horns]], flashing and coloured lights, and other all-purpose alarms.

Alarm devices can be fitted to buildings as well as vehicles. Many buildings are fitted with [[Fire alarm system|fire alarms]], ranging from a self-contained domestic [[smoke detector]] to a sophisticated alarm system that can operate building fire fighting systems automatically to extinguish fires with water or inert gases.

Many industries have developed standards for alarm devices, and the colours red, blue and amber are generally recognized as alarm device-related colours, with flashing lights often indicating urgent conditions.{{Citation needed|date=May 2023}}