How do I format ssml for sonos?

I'm looking at the ssml page at:

What I'm really after is to get HSM to speak on the sonos, but I want it to wait a few seconds because I have an RM rule that triggers on HSM arming alert so it will disarm HSM and the keypad, and play a warning beep, so I want HSM to play last.

I don't know how to format the ssml in HE.
(angle bracket)break time="3s"/(angle bracket)%device% open
HE immediately converts it to %device% open.

On the other hand, if someone knows how to pass the current %device% that triggered HSM to a rule in RM, I would like that even more.

Thanks

The HE API trashes any HTML like coding on a text input field.
Take a look at this thread. Similar issue.

Thanks arnb.