Fire Protection Engineering

Duane D. Pearsall founded Statitrol Corporation in 1963. That same year, while testing ion flow from a generator’s exhaust, the meter activated while in the presence of smoke from a cigarette. Pearsall realized the ionization technology could be applied to smoke detection. The product of his idea, the SmokeGard 700, was the first battery operated home smoke detector. Pearsall later sold Statitrol in 1977, after which he helped found the Fire Protection Engineering program at Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

The following exhibit items are grouped into four thematic sections and feature records from the Statitrol Corporation; advertisements, images, and information related to smoke detectors; various correspondence; and documents, clippings, and other records related to Pearsall's role in small business. For more information about Pearsall's life, see the curated feature labeled "Life & Service" - https://exhibits.wpi.edu/spotlight/pearsall/feature/life-service.

Copyright statement: Use of the Duane D. Pearsall Papers Digital Collection is restricted under the "fair use" clause of the Copyright Law (Title 17, United States Code). The images and documents in this collection are available for the sole purpose of private study, research, and/or scholarship. Anyone wishing to use the images for commercial purposes, publication, or any purchase outside of "fair use" must obtain written permission from the WPI Archives & Special Collections.

The majority of the collection has been digitized and is being made available here in digital form. If you would like to view the physical items from the collection, please contact WPI's Archives & Special Collections at archives@wpi.edu.