EXHIBIT 10.y

                              STOCK SALE AGREEMENT

                  STOCK SALE AGREEMENT, dated as of February 28, 1998 (the
"Agreement"), among Sunbeam Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Parent"),
and each person or entity named in Schedule A to this Agreement (the
"Stockholders"). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall
have the meanings ascribed to them in the Merger Agreement (as defined below).

                  WHEREAS, the Parent, Sentinel Acquisition Corp., a Delaware
corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent (the "Purchaser"), and First
Alert, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), are entering into an
Agreement and Plan of Merger (the "Merger Agreement") simultaneously with the
entry into this Agreement, which provides, among other things, that the
Purchaser, upon the terms and subject to the conditions thereof, make a cash
tender offer (the "Offer") for all issued and outstanding shares of common
stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company (the "Shares") at a price of
$5.25 per share, and following consummation of the Offer the Purchaser will
merge with and into the Company with the Company as the surviving corporation
(the "Merger") and each then outstanding Share (other than Shares held by (i)
the Parent or any of its wholly owned subsidiaries, (ii) the Company or any of
its wholly owned subsidiaries or (iii) any holder who perfects dissenters'
rights under Delaware law) would be converted into the right to receive $5.25 in
cash, or any higher price paid per Share in the Offer; and

                  WHEREAS, the Parent has required, as a condition to its
entering into the Merger Agreement and commencing the Offer, that each of the
Stockholders enter into, and each of the Stockholders have agreed to enter into,
this Agreement.

                  NOW, THEREFORE, the parties hereto agree as follows:

                           STOCKHOLDERS' REPRESENTATIONS. Each of the
Stockholders severally represents and warrants to the Parent (a) that such
Stockholder has the power and authority (or the capacity if an individual) to
execute and deliver this Agreement, (b) that, if a corporation, partnership or
other entity, this Agreement has been duly authorized by all requisite action on
the part of the Stockholder, (c) that the Stockholder has duly executed and
delivered this Agreement and this Agreement is a valid and binding agreement,
enforceable against such Stockholder in accordance with its terms, (d) that
neither the execution of this Agreement nor the consummation by such Stockholder
of the transactions contemplated hereby will constitute a violation of, or
conflict with, or default under, any contract, commitment, agreement,
understanding, arrangement or restriction of any kind to which such Stockholder
is a party or by


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which such Stockholder is bound and, if the Stockholder is a corporation,
partnership or other entity, the organizational documents thereof, (e) that on
the date hereof such Stockholder has good and valid title to the number of
Shares set forth opposite such Stockholder's name on Schedule A hereto (the
"Stockholder's Shares"), free and clear of all claims, liens, charges,
encumbrances and security interests, without any restrictions on the voting
rights of such Stockholder's Shares, (f) that there are no options or rights to
purchase or acquire, or agreements relating to, any of such Stockholder's Shares
except pursuant to this Agreement, and (g) that the number of Shares set forth
in Schedule A hereto opposite the name of such Stockholder constitutes all of
the Shares owned beneficially or of record by such Stockholder.

                           PARENT'S REPRESENTATIONS. The Parent represents and
warrants to each of the Stockholders that the Parent has duly authorized,
executed and delivered this Agreement and this Agreement is a valid and binding
agreement, enforceable against the Parent in accordance with its terms.

                           SALE OF SHARES. In the event that within 9 months
following the date hereof and the Parent shall be entitled to the Termination
Fee pursuant to Section 8.1(b) of the Merger Agreement, the Stockholder shall
sell, transfer or otherwise commit to dispose any or all of such Shares to any
party other than the Parent or an affiliate of the Parent (a "Sale") and realize
a Profit (as defined below) from such Sale, then the Stockholder shall pay to
the Parent an amount equal to the Profit. Such amount shall be paid to the
Parent promptly following the receipt of proceeds by the Stockholder or its
affiliates from such Sale. The term "Profit" shall mean the excess, if any, of
(a) the aggregate consideration received by the Stock holder or its affiliates
in connection with the Sale over (b) the number of Shares sold, transferred or
disposed of in connection with the Sale multiplied by the Offer Price.

                           CHANGES IN SHARES. In the event of a stock dividend
or distribution, or any change in the Company's Common Stock by reason of any
stock dividend, split-up, recapitalization, combination, exchange of shares or
the like, the term "Shares" shall refer to and include the Shares as well as all
such stock dividends and distributions and any shares into which or for which
any or all of the Shares may be changed or exchanged. Each Stockholder's Shares
shall include all Shares acquired after the date hereof by such Stockholder and
all dividends or distributions in respect of the Stockholder's Shares.

                           LEGEND. As soon as practicable after the execution of
this Agreement, each Stockholder shall surrender the certificates representing
such Stockholder's Shares to the Parent so that the following legend may be
placed on such certificates:

                  "The shares of capital stock represented by this certificate


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         are subject to a Stock Sale Agreement, dated as of February 28, 1998,
         between Sunbeam Corporation and [the Stockholder]."

                           SPECIFIC ENFORCEMENT. The parties hereto acknowledge
that damages would be an inadequate remedy for a breach of this Agreement and
that the obligations of the parties hereto shall be specifically enforceable, in
addition to any other remedy which may be available at law or in equity.

                           BROKERAGE FEES. Each of the Stockholders and the
Parent, in connection with the transaction contemplated herein, severally agree
to indemnify and hold the other harmless from and against any and all claims,
liabilities or obligations with respect to any brokerage fees, commissions or
finders' fees asserted by any person on the basis of any act or statement
alleged to have been made by such party or its affiliate.

                           EXPENSES. Each party hereto shall pay its own
expenses incurred in connection with this Agreement.

                           SURVIVAL. Notwithstanding anything contained herein
to the contrary, all representations, warranties and agreements made by each of
the Stock holders in this Agreement shall survive the termination of this
Agreement and any investigation at any time made by or on behalf of any party
hereto.

                           STOP TRANSFER. Each of the Stockholders shall not
request that the Company register the transfer (book-entry or otherwise) of any
certificate or uncertificated interest representing any of the Shares, unless
such transfer is made in compliance with this Agreement.

                           FURTHER ASSURANCES. From time to time, at the other
party's request and without further consideration, each party hereto shall
execute and deliver such additional documents and take all such further lawful
action as may be necessary or desirable to consummate and make effective, in the
most expeditious manner practicable, the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.

                           MISCELLANEOUS.

                                    AMENDMENT, ETC. This Agreement may not be
modified, altered or supplemented except upon the execution and delivery of a
written agreement executed by the parties hereto.

                                    ASSIGNMENT. No party to this Agreement may
assign any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement without the prior
consent of the other parties except that the rights and obligations of the
Parent may be assigned by the Parent to Purchaser or any of its other wholly
owned


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subsidiaries but no such transfer shall relieve the Parent of its obligations
hereunder if such transferee does not perform such obligations.

                                    BINDING EFFECT. This Agreement and the
obligations hereunder shall attach to the Shares and shall be binding upon any
person or entity to which legal or beneficial ownership of such Shares shall
pass, whether by operation of law or otherwise. Notwithstanding any transfer of
Shares, the transferor shall remain liable for the performance of all
obligations under this Agreement of the transferor.

                                    NOTICES. All notices, claims, requests,
demands and other communications hereunder will be in writing and will be deemed
to have been duly given upon receipt as follows:

                  (a)      If to the Parent, to:

                                    Sunbeam Corporation
                                    1615 South Congress Avenue
                                    Suite 200
                                    Delray Beach, FL 33445
                                    Attention:  General Counsel

                           with a copy to:

                                    Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
                                    919 Third Avenue
                                    New York, New York 10022
                                    Attention: Blaine V. Fogg, Esq.

                  (b)      If to the Stockholder, to such Stock holder at the
                           address set forth under his name in Schedule A.

or to such other address as the person to whom notice is to be given may have
previously furnished to the others in writing in the manner set forth above.

                                    COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed
in two or more counterparts, each of which will be deemed to be an original but
all of which together will constitute one and the same instrument.

                                    GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement shall be
governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware,
regardless of the laws that might otherwise govern under applicable Delaware
principles of conflicts of law.


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                                    TERMINATION. Except for Sections 7, 8 and 9
hereof, this Agreement shall terminate on the earlier of (i) the purchase of
each Stockholder's Shares pursuant to the Offer or through the Merger and (ii)
three years from the date hereof.

                                    REMEDIES CUMULATIVE. All rights, powers and
remedies provided under this Agreement or otherwise available in respect hereof
at law or in equity shall be cumulative and not alternative, and the exercise of
any thereof by any party shall not preclude the simultaneous or later exercise
of any other such right, power or remedy by such party.

                                    NO WAIVER. The failure of any party hereto
to exercise any right, power or remedy provided under this Agreement or
otherwise available in respect hereof at law or in equity, or to insist upon
compliance by any other party hereto with its obligations hereunder, and any
custom or practice of the parties at variance with the terms hereof, shall not
constitute a waiver by such party of its right to exercise any such or other
right, power or remedy or to demand such compliance.

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                  IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Agreement has been duly executed and
delivered by each Stockholder and a duly authorized officer of the Parent on the
day and year first written above.

                                            SUNBEAM CORPORATION

                                            By:_________________________

                                            THOMAS H. LEE EQUITY PARTNERS, L.P.

                                            By: ________________________
                                                     Its General Partner

                                                     By_________________________

                                            ML-LEE ACQUISITION FUND II, L.P.

                                            By:_________________________
                                                     Its General Partner

                                                     By_________________________

                                            ML-LEE ACQUISITION FUND (RETIREMENT
                                            ACCOUNTS) II, L.P.

                                            By:_________________________
                                                     Its General Partner

                                                     By_________________________


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                                            STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY,
                                            not individually but as Trustee of
                                            the 1989 THOMAS H. LEE NOMINEE TRUST

                                            By__________________________


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                                            ------------------------------------
                                            John W. Childs

                                            ------------------------------------
                                            David W. Harkins

                                            ------------------------------------
                                            Thomas R. Shepherd

                                            ------------------------------------
                                            Thomas R. Shepherd - IRA

                                            ------------------------------------
                                            Glenn H. Hutchins

                                            ------------------------------------
                                            Scott A. Schoen

                                            ------------------------------------
                                            C. Hunter Boll

                                            ------------------------------------
                                            Steven G. Segal

                                            ------------------------------------
                                            Anthony J. Dinovi

                                            ------------------------------------
                                            Thomas M. Hagerty

                                            ------------------------------------
                                            Joseph I. Incandela

                                            ------------------------------------
                                            Warren C. Smith

                                            ------------------------------------
                                            Glenn A. Hopkins

                                            ------------------------------------
                                            Charles W. Robins

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                                            SZL Trust

                                            By__________________________________


                                            ------------------------------------
                                            Adam L. Suttin

                                            ------------------------------------
                                            Wendy L. Masler

                                            ------------------------------------
                                            Andrew D. Flaster

                                            SGS Family Limited Partnership

                                            By__________________________________
                                                     Its General Partner

                                                     By_________________________


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                                   SCHEDULE A

                                                              NUMBER OF SHARES
         NAME AND ADDRESS                                     OF COMMON STOCK
         OF STOCKHOLDER                                        OF THE COMPANY
         ----------------                                     ----------------
Thomas H. Lee Equity Partners, L.P.                               8,324,492

ML-Lee Acquisition Fund II, L.P.                                  2,058,474

ML-Lee Acquisition Fund (Retirement
Accounts) II, L.P.                                                2,281,524

State Street Bank and Trust Company
Not Individually but as Trustee of the
1989 Thomas H. Lee Nominee Trust                                    985,706

John W. Childs                                                      159,178

David V. Harkins                                                    118,518

Thomas R. Shepherd                                                   44,446

Thomas R. Shepherd - IRA                                             44,446

Glenn H. Hutchins                                                    88,888

Scott A. Schoen                                                      87,034

C. Hunter Boll                                                       62,000

Steven G. Segal                                                      35,550

Anthony J. Dinovi                                                    35,550

Thomas M. Hagerty                                                    35,550

Joseph I. Incandela                                                  15,500

Warren C. Smith, Jr.                                                 11,160

Glenn A. Hopkins                                                      6,200

Charles W. Robins                                                     6,200


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SZL Trust                                                             6,200

Adam L. Suttin                                                        6,200

Wendy L. Masler                                                       1,240

Andrew D. Flaster                                                     1,550

SGS Family Limited Partnership                                        6,200