More than a decade has passed since WISN 12 News launched an investigation into smoke detectors that caused the federal government to launch its own study.
The issue: Children frequently slept through the noise of a smoke alarm.
In the past 10 years technology has changed many things. But has it helped to better protect children?
WISN 12 News Kent Wainscott found that today's alarms produced nearly the same results.
"In our new tests, it took more than 40 seconds for 10-year-old Langston to awake to the alarm," he said. "Then he went back to sleep."
In a second test, 6-year-old Will took even longer to wake to the alarm, and his 8-year-old sister Kate slept right through it.
Wainscott found that researchers have uncovered new technology that makes alarms more effective in waking sleeping children. Experts have found that lower frequency tones are much more effective at waking children up.
"We've changed our standard," said John Drengenberg with Underwriters Laboratories, a firm that tests devices before the hit the market. "The standard does incorporate how to test a smoke alarm with a low frequency."
He said smoke alarms go through a series of 50 tests before they are eligible to be sold in stores. And while low-frequency alarms are now required in most commercial buildings, they face a significant road block
"The battery would not support a low frequency tone," he said.
Lee Richardson with the National Fire Protection Association said a low-frequency home alarm that does not require special wiring is in development, but there is no word on when it may be ready for testing or sale.
While researchers work to solve the battery issue, WISN 12 News wondered if voice-activated alarms now on the market showed any promise.
"Voice programmed smoke alarms were a little bit more effective in waking kids up," said Dr. Louella Amos, a sleep specialist with Children's Hospital of Wisconsin.
The National Fire Protection Association had once considered changing their standards to allow voice-recording alarms in homes, but the data did not support the change. Instead, the NFPA has kept the standard series of beeps, but allows a recorded message in the time in between beeps.
Amos said that regardless of the type of alarm, parents must be prepared to the fact that the alarm may not wake their child up.
Since WISN 12 News' first investigation, Underwriters Laboratories has changed the way alarms are labeled. They now have a warning that children and some others may not wake up to the sound.
The NFPA said a new low-frequency alarm that doesn't require wiring in the home may be in the works, but there's no word on when that might be available.