Abstract: An alarm system, comprising a smoke detector, a smoke detector output relay, a recording switch, a microphone, a digital recording and a play back device, a timer/pulse generator, a pulse counter, a number of speakers, an amplifier and an alarm tone generator, and the method of operation of the alarm system are presented. The smoke detector output relay activates a printed circuit that is powered off the smoke detector at two different points. The recording switch, when activated, allows a voice message to be recorded through the microphone on a digital recording and play back device. The timer/pulse generator starts when activated by the smoke detector output relay. The timer/pulse generator then sends timed pulses to the pulse counter that controls output of the digital recording and play back device, i.e. a verbal message, and of the alarm tone generator. The controlled output of the digital recording and play back device and of the alarm tone generator is then sent to the amplifier.