The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recently urged Americans to take extra fire safety precautions this winter in the wake of several recent multiple fatality fires: “These recent tragic fires have painfully underscored that we are right in the middle of the peak season for home fires,” said NFPA President Jim Shannon.
According to NFPA, December, January and February are the leading months for home fires. In 2007 there were an estimated 399,000 home fires resulting in nearly 3,000 deaths. Cooking is the leading cause of home structure fires and home fire injuries. Smoking is the leading cause of home fire deaths. Heating ranks second in home fire deaths overall, but in one- or two-family dwellings it is the leading cause.
The NFPA recommends the following key fire safety tips:
Watch your cooking Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, or broiling food. If you must leave, even for a short time, turn off the stove.
Give space heaters space Keep fixed and portable space heaters at least three feet from anything that can burn. Turn off heaters when you leave the room or go to sleep.
Smoke outside Ask smokers to smoke outside. Have sturdy, deep ashtrays for smokers.
Keep matches and lighters out of reach Keep matches and lighters up high, out of the reach of children, preferably in a cabinet with a child lock.
Inspect electrical cords Replace cords that are cracked, damaged, have broken plugs, or have loose connections.
Be careful when using candles Keep candles at least one foot from anything that can burn. Blow out candles when you leave the room or go to sleep.
Have a home fire escape plan Make a home fire escape plan and practice it at least twice a year.
Install and test smoke alarms Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, inside bedrooms and outside sleeping areas. Interconnect smoke alarms throughout the home. When one sounds, they all sound. Test smoke alarms at least once a month and replace batteries once a year or when the alarm “chirps” to tell you the battery is low. Replace any smoke alarm that is more than 10 years old.
Install carbon monoxide alarms Install CO alarms in a central location outside each separate sleeping area and on every level of the home and in other locations where required by applicable laws, codes or standards. For the best protection, interconnect all CO alarms throughout the home.
Install sprinklers If you are building or remodeling your home, install residential fire sprinklers. Sprinklers can contain, and may even extinguish, a fire in less time than it would take the fire department to arrive.
Are you following these simple safety tips? Do you have a plan for fire safety in your home? Do you have a working smoke detector and a fire extinguisher on hand? If not, you owe it to yourself to visit Kidde, the world's largest manufacturer of fire safety products. On Kidde's website, not only can you learn about their products, you can read all about Fire Safety and Carbon Monoxide Safety . They even have a online product support page!
We were sent three Kidde products to review. The first:
Kidde FX210R Living Area Fire Extinguisher - White
There are four classes of fire extinguishers available (see link for details). The minimum recommendation for the home from the National Fire Protection Association is to have an ABC extinguisher in your home (living area) and your garage. According to my husband (a fire academy grad), this one from Kidde fits the bill perfectly.
Product Description: White Finish Living Area Fire Extinguisher, Fights Fires Common To The Home Living Areas Such As Wood, Fabrics, Furnishings & Drapes, Meets NFPA Recommendations For Primary Home Protection, 10 Year Warranty, Features Bilingual Name Plate & Carton, Features Include Pressure Gauge, Easy To Pull Safety Pin, Rust & Impact Resistant Nylon Handle, UL Rated 2A10BC.
Next up, the Kidde KN-COSM-B Battery-Operated Combination Carbon Monoxide and Smoke Alarm with Talking Alarm (3 AA batteries are required and are included!)
Studies show that more than two in three children will sleep through the sound of a regular smoke alarm but will wake up to the sound of their parent's voice. With two small children, I was excited to get this alarm. And what a great feature that the smoke alarm is combined with a carbon monoxide detector - now we have one on both levels of the house. Did you know that carbon monoxide is the leading cause of accidental poisoning deaths in North America? And because it is odorless, tasteless and invisible, a detector is the only way you have of knowing it's in your house. And don't worry about the alarm going off and trying to figure out what the alarm has detected because the voice warning system announces "Fire, Carbon Monoxide, Low Battery or Smart Hush Activation" - eliminating any confusion and clearly warns you and your family of a smoke or carbon monoxide danger, or if your battery is in need of replacement.
Finally we installed the
Kidde KN-COPP-B Front Load Battery-Operated Carbon Monoxide Alarm with Digital Display (3 AA batteries are required and are included!) in our kitchen.
Product Description The Kidde 900-0146 battery-operated carbon monoxide (CO) alarm uses the patented Nighthawk electrochemical CO sensor to help protect you and your family from the dangers of CO. Easy to install, the 900-0146’s backlit digital display shows CO levels in parts per million and updates every 15 seconds. When the unit is operating properly and hazardous CO levels are not detected, its green LED flashes every 30 seconds. In a CO emergency, the red LED pulses and an 85 db horn sounds at specific intervals until the CO threat is eliminated. Because it’s powered by 3 AA batteries, the 900-0146 is able to provide continuous monitoring of CO levels, even during power outages.
Head on over to TOP to find out how to win your very own Kidde products!
The review was sponsored by The Opinionated Parent - I am proud to be a TOP reviewer:
MORE INFORMATION ON THESE CARDS FOUND HERE.
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