first alert

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "first alert" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it in contexts where you want to indicate the initial notification or warning about something. For example, "The first alert about the storm was issued early in the morning." Alternative expressions include "initial warning" and "primary notification."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

53 human-written examples

"The first alert didn't go out until people were hospitalized".

The New York Times - Science

The accident shut down the plant and prompted the first alert in its 26-year history.

The New York Times

The first alert came as a surprise even to some senior American counterterrorism officials.

The New York Times

The first alert they created asks — every day — whether a patient who is on cardiac monitoring still needs it.

Stanford University

Sales of a First Alert home lead test are up 900percentt over last year, according to the company.

The New York Times

Yet our most important first alert to the suffering of a helpless child is the voice of witnesses.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

7 human-written examples

Bedside nurses are the hospital's front line, but we can't do the first-alert part of our jobs if there aren't enough of us on the floor.

The New York Times

Beyond its usefulness as a first-alert mechanism, Dr. Frank thinks the test will help doctors zero in on specific diagnoses.

The New York Times - Health

The alarm boxes, which officers call "crash boxes," are key pieces of the agency's first-alert system, according to former agents and officials.

The Washington Post

The study's results suggested that Twitter users view the platform as a first-alert system -- in much the same way as non-users tap into the alert system from Yahoo! and Google.

Huffington Post

In the week ending November 30, Hancock placed first on three video charts: the Nielsen VideoScan First Alert sales chart, Home Media Magazine's video rental chart, and Nielsen's Blu-ray Disc chart.

Wikipedia

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In technical documentation, specify what the "first alert" level entails to distinguish it from escalating levels like 'warning' or 'emergency'.

Common error

Avoid using lower case for "first alert" when you are referring to the specific safety product company. If you are discussing smoke detectors or carbon monoxide alarms from that brand, use 'First Alert' to ensure clarity and professional accuracy.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "first alert" functions as a noun phrase. It combines the ordinal adjective "first", which provides chronological or hierarchical positioning, with the noun "alert", which denotes a state of vigilance or a warning signal. According to Ludwig, it is frequently used as the subject or object of a sentence to mark the inception of a communication chain.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

52%

Science

28%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Formal & Business

3%

Social Media

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "first alert" is a highly versatile and correct English expression used to signify the initial instance of a warning or notification. Ludwig AI confirms that it appears across a broad spectrum of reliable sources, from breaking news reports in The New York Times to specialized medical research. Its dual role as both a general descriptor and a specific brand name ('First Alert') requires writers to be mindful of capitalization. Overall, it is an effective, high-frequency term for establishing timelines and highlighting the first signs of critical events.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

early warning

Emphasizes the preventative nature of the signal rather than just the sequence.

initial warning

Uses a more formal adjective to describe the first instance of a caution.

primary notification

More formal and often used in administrative or technical systems.

preliminary signal

Suggests that more detailed information or subsequent signals will follow.

earliest indication

Focuses on the timing of the discovery rather than the formal broadcast of an alert.

first-stage alert

Implies a structured, multi-level emergency or notification protocol.

opening caution

Describes the first step in a series of safety or procedural warnings.

inaugural alarm

A more dramatic or literal way to describe the first time a system was triggered.

original notice

Refers to the first documented piece of information regarding a situation.

starting heads-up

A much more informal and colloquial way to describe an initial warning.

FAQs

How to use "first alert" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe the start of a notification process, such as: "The "first alert" went out to residents just minutes before the storm hit."

What can I say instead of "first alert"?

Depending on your context, you can use alternatives like "<a href="/s/early+warning" target="_blank" rel="alternative">early warning", "<a href="/s/initial+warning" target="_blank" rel="alternative">initial warning" or "<a href="/s/primary+notification" target="_blank" rel="alternative">primary notification".

Is "first alert" always a general term?

No. While it often refers to the first signal in a sequence, it is also a well-known brand name for safety equipment. Ensure you capitalize it as 'First Alert' when referring to the company or its products.

What is the difference between "first alert" and "early warning"?

A "first alert" is strictly the first in a series, whereas an "<a href="/s/early+warning" target="_blank" rel="alternative">early warning" specifically highlights that the notice was given well in advance of a potential threat.