Protect What Matters Most with Safety You Can Trust this October
First Alert Reminds the Public of Home Fire Safety Precautions on 100th Anniversary of Fire Prevention Week
AURORA, Ill., Oct. 10, 2022 /CNW/ -- In honour of the 100th anniversary of Fire Prevention Week (Oct. 9-15) and Fire Prevention Month this October, First Alert, now part of Resideo Technologies, Inc., is sharing effective and simple home safety tips to help educate consumers of all ages about safe and reliable precautions against the threats of smoke, fire and carbon monoxide (CO). The annual safety campaign kicks off this month and complements the collective efforts of the fire safety industry, fire departments and select Lowe's, RONA and Réno-Dépôt stores across Canada to raise awareness about fire safety.
Fire safety continues to be a critical topic nationwide. In the decade ending in 2020, there were approximately 220 fire-related deaths each year, according to Statistics Canada.
"Fire safety is essential all year-round," said Ashley Gocken, a First Alert safety expert with Resideo Technologies. "Fire Prevention Week, and by extension Fire Prevention Month throughout all of October, serve as a perfect reminder for families to ensure they have effective home safety measures, and reliable protection they can trust, in place."
First Alert offers the following tips to help families refresh their home fire safety plans this Fire Prevention Month. The campaign is aligned to Resideo Technologies' vision to help protect what matters most.
Every level, every bedroom. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends installing smoke alarms inside every bedroom and on every level of the home, including the basement, and CO alarms near every sleeping area and also on every level. Smoke alarms should be installed high on walls and ceilings and at least three meters away from appliances to help minimize false alarms when cooking. CO alarms are the only way for a consumer to detect this invisible, odourless gas in their home, making installation critical.
Test and maintain. Once alarms are installed, maintenance is key. Testing alarms takes mere moments and is as simple as pressing a button and waiting for a beep, yet 67 per cent of Canadians do not test or replace their alarm batteries as often as they should*. Best practices include testing alarms regularly and changing the batteries at least every six months. For convenient protection and to eliminate battery replacements for a decade, upgrade to First Alert 10-Year Sealed Battery Smoke and CO Alarms.
"Even with new batteries, smoke and CO alarms themselves don't last forever," added Gocken. "These devices are on duty 24/7 and need to be replaced at least every 10 years, sometimes more frequently, depending on the model."
Don't forget about fire extinguishers. According to the NFPA, cooking is the leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries. The NFPA also reported that ranges and cooktops were involved in 61 per cent of kitchen fires, underscoring the importance of having a fire extinguishing device within reach to help stop fires before they can spread. Place fire extinguishers in common areas of the home such as the kitchen and garage and know how to use them.
An easy way to remember how to use a fire extinguisher is with the acronym PASS: Pull the pin. Hold the extinguisher with the nozzle pointing away from you and release the locking mechanism. Aim low. Point the extinguisher at the base of the fire. Squeeze the lever slowly and evenly. Sweep the nozzle from side-to-side. When selecting a fire extinguisher, look for devices designed to combat common household fires caused by wood products, grease and electricity, such as the First Alert Rechargeable Home Fire Extinguisher.
Practice an escape plan. In the event of an emergency, seconds count. Create and practice an emergency escape plan with every member of your household. Be sure to identify two ways out of every room, using both doors and windows, and choose a location that is a safe distance from the home as a meeting spot. If your home has a second story, escape ladders should be placed by windows that offer easy and quick paths out of the house.
Learn Fire Safety at Select Stores from the Lowe's Canada Network
To kick off Fire Prevention Month, First Alert and participating stores from the Lowe's Canada network nationwide are joining forces to educate the public about how to help protect their families and homes from the threats of fire and CO.
Throughout October, select Lowe's, RONA and Réno-Dépôt stores will be celebrating first responders and Fire Prevention Month, which will include hosting a variety of fire safety events to educate adults and children about the importance of whole home safety. Store guests can participate in fire safety demonstrations and learn from local first responders about best safety practices. Local dates and times may vary.
To learn more about how to help keep your home and loved ones safe from the threats of smoke and fire, visit FirstAlert.ca/FirePreventionMonth.
*First Alert Consumer Survey, "Canadians Knowledge Regarding Fire Safety & Prevention," October 2017
About First Alert
First Alert®, America's most trusted and recognized safety brand, manufactured by BRK® Brands, Inc., is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Resideo Technologies, Inc., (NYSE: REZI) a leading manufacturer and distributor of smart home solutions that provide comfort, safety, security, energy efficiency and controls to customers worldwide. First Alert offers a comprehensive line of smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, fire extinguishers and escape ladders in more than 30 countries worldwide to help protect what matters most. For more information, visit firstalert.com, resideo.com and brkelecronics.com.
About Resideo
Resideo is a leading global manufacturer and distributor of technology-driven products and solutions that provide comfort, security, energy efficiency and control to customers worldwide. Building on a 130-year heritage, Resideo has a presence in more than 150 million homes, with 15 million systems installed in homes each year. We continue to serve more than 110,000 professionals through leading distributors, including our ADI Global Distribution business, which exports to more than 100 countries from nearly 200 stocking locations around the world. For more information about Resideo, please visit www.resideo.com.
© 2022 First Alert is a wholly owned subsidiary of Resideo Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved.
About Lowe's Canada
Lowe's Companies, Inc. (NYSE: LOW) is a FORTUNE® 50 home improvement company serving approximately 19 million customer transactions a week in the United States and Canada. With fiscal year 2021 sales of over $96 billion, Lowe's and its related businesses operate or service nearly 2,200 home improvement and hardware stores and employ over 300,000 associates. Based in Boucherville, Quebec, Lowe's Canadian business, together with its wholly owned subsidiary RONA inc., operates or services some 450 corporate and independent affiliate dealer stores in a number of complementary formats under different banners, which include Lowe's, RONA, Reno-Depot, and Dick's Lumber. In Canada, they have more than 26,000 associates, in addition to approximately 5,000 employees in the stores of independent affiliate dealers operating under the RONA banner. For more information, visit lowescanada.ca.
Contact:
Abigail Cox
L.C. Williams & Associates
P: 312-565-3900 or 800-837-7123
acox@lcwa.com
SOURCE First Alert by Resideo
