AURORA, Ill., Oct. 2, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- This Fire Prevention
Month, fire safety will be top of mind for thousands of families
across the country thanks to a nationwide campaign presented by
First Alert and Lowe's. As part of this joint effort, First Alert
is partnering with Lowe's stores across the U.S. and local fire
departments to educate the public about how to protect their
families and homes from the threats of fire and carbon monoxide
(CO).
Each year, nearly 3,000 Americans die from home fires, while CO
poisoning claims approximately 450 lives, according to the National
Fire Protection Association (NFPA). The NFPA also reports that
almost three of every five home fire deaths resulted from fires in
homes with no smoke alarms (40%) or no working smoke alarms (17%).
Due to lack of awareness, or forgetfulness, over 60% of consumers
do not test their smoke and CO alarms monthly.* Many of these
tragedies could be prevented with the proper placement, number and
maintenance of working alarms.
"In order to help decrease home fire and CO poisoning incidents,
people must be equipped with the necessary tools and knowledge,"
said Tarsila Wey, director of
marketing for First Alert, the most trusted brand in home safety.**
"Protecting homes and families is our number one priority, and by
partnering with Lowe's and local fire departments, we hope to help
ensure the long-term safety of communities nationwide."
In October, Lowe's stores nationwide will host fun,
family-focused activities to teach families about equipping their
homes with smoke and CO alarms, as well as planning and practicing
a fire escape plan. Children will have the opportunity to build a
wooden fire truck in a one-time kids' workshop and will receive
firefighter hats, coloring books and educational materials, while
supplies last. In addition, smoke and CO alarms will be on display,
including First Alert's 10-year sealed battery alarms that provide
reliable protection for a decade without the hassle of battery
replacements. These events will take place on Oct. 12 at most Lowe's stores nationwide, but
dates may vary by location. To find your closest Lowe's and contact
for event information, visit Lowes.com/storelocator.
Practice Whole Home Safety
To keep homes and families
safe, these events will stress the importance of practicing whole
home protection with important fire and CO safety tips,
including:
- Alarm your home: To ensure your family and home are
best protected from fire, follow the guidelines set by the NFPA and
U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), which recommend that homes have
smoke alarms installed inside every bedroom, outside each sleeping
area and on every level of the home, including the basement, and
one CO alarm on each level and in or near each sleeping area. To
put this into perspective, the average-sized home in America – a
two-story, three-bedroom house – needs a minimum of five smoke
alarms and four carbon monoxide alarms.
- Check alarms: It's critical to test alarms monthly
and change the batteries twice a year or if a low battery chirp
occurs. Alarms with a 10-year sealed battery provide hassle-free
protection, eliminating the risk of forgetting to change the
batteries or having an alarm deactivated due to battery removal.
Smoke alarms don't last forever and should be replaced every 10
years, and CO alarms should be replaced every seven years.
- Make and practice an escape plan: It is essential
to plan an emergency escape route and practice it at least twice a
year. This ensures that everyone knows how to evacuate the home
safely and where to meet in the event of an emergency.
"Together, with Lowe's and local fire departments, we can spread
awareness about fire and CO safety nationwide and the importance of
installing reliable protection that you can trust for your home,"
added Wey.
To learn more about protecting your family from smoke, fire and
carbon monoxide, visit the First Alert website at
http://www.firstalert.com/. You also can follow First Alert on
Twitter (@FirstAlert) or "like" First Alert on Facebook.
*First Alert Fire Prevention Research Report, May 2019 – Results are based on the responses of
1,000 adult homeowners, ages 18 and older, living in the United States who completed an online
survey, May 13-16, 2019.
**First Alert Brand Trust Survey, February 2018 – Results are based on the
responses of 1,000 adults, ages 25 and older, living in
the United States who completed an
online survey, February 15-19, 2018.
Results are statistically significant at a 95 percent confidence
level and can be generalized to the entire adult population in
the United States within those
statistical parameters. For more information or a copy of the
complete survey results, contact Tim
Young at LCWA: 312/565-4628 or
tyoung@lcwa.com.
About BRK Brands, Inc.
BRK Brands, Inc.
(Aurora, IL), is a fully owned
subsidiary of Newell Brands. For
more than 60 years, BRK Brands, Inc. has been the manufacturer of
First Alert®-branded home-safety products, the most
trusted and recognized safety brand in America. BRK®
Brands designs and develops innovative safety solutions including
Tundra™ Fire Extinguishing Spray, Onelink by First Alert
smart home products, a comprehensive line of smoke alarms, carbon
monoxide alarms, fire extinguishers and escape ladders to protect
what matters most. Such products are also marketed under the
BRK Electronics® brand, The Professional Standard for
the builder and contractor audiences. BRK Brands, Inc.
products are found in more than 30 countries worldwide. For
more information, visit
http://www.firstalert.com, http://www.brkelectronics.com or
http://www.newellbrands.com.
About Newell
Brands
Newell Brands (NASDAQ: NWL) is a
leading global consumer goods company with a strong portfolio of
well-known brands, including Paper Mate®, Sharpie®, Dymo®, EXPO®,
Parker®, Elmer's®, Coleman®, Marmot®, Oster®, Sunbeam®, FoodSaver®,
Mr. Coffee®, Graco®, Baby Jogger®, NUK®, Calphalon®, Rubbermaid®,
Contigo®, First Alert®, and Yankee Candle®. For hundreds of
millions of consumers, Newell Brands makes life better
every day, where they live, learn, work and play. Additional
information about Newell Brands is available on the
company's website, www.newellbrands.com.
About Lowe's
Lowe's Companies, Inc. is a
FORTUNE® 50 home improvement company serving more than
18 million customers a week in the United
States and Canada. With
fiscal year 2018 sales of $71.3
billion, Lowe's and its related businesses operate or
service more than 2,200 home improvement and hardware stores and
employ approximately 300,000 associates. Founded in 1946 and based
in Mooresville, N.C., Lowe's
supports the communities it serves through programs focused on
creating safe, affordable housing and helping to develop the next
generation of skilled trade experts. For more information,
visit Lowes.com.
©2019 BRK Brands, Inc., Aurora,
IL 60504. All rights reserved.
BRK Electronics® is a registered trademark of BRK
Brands, Inc., Aurora, IL
60504.
Nasdaq® is a registered trademark of The Nasdaq Stock
Market, Inc.
Contacts: Lindsey Lucenta
or Rebecca Raudabaugh
L.C. Williams & Associates
P: 312-565-4618 or 312-565-4604
E: llucenta@lcwa.com or rraudabaugh@lcwa.com
Lowe's Contact: Sebastian Hale
P: 704-758-3188
E: sebastian.hale@lowes.com
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SOURCE First Alert