First Alert, Lowe’s and Local Fire Department Unite for 100th Anniversary of Fire Prevention Week
Educational Events will Take Place for Homestead Residents to Understand the Importance of Whole Home Safety
In honor of Fire Prevention Month and the 100th anniversary of Fire Prevention Week – celebrated this year from Oct. 9-15 – First Alert, now part of Resideo Technologies, Inc., and a leader in residential fire safety, is partnering with Lowe’s stores and fire departments nationwide to host educational events.
Homestead families are invited to attend the free events, which will include the local fire services, starting between 9:00am to 3:00pm on Saturday, Oct.1 at the 1850 N.E. 8th Street Lowe’s location. Consumers should call the store for local updates as hours are subject to change. Activities are designed to teach community members about installing smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms in their homes, planning and practicing a fire escape plan, and operating a fire extinguisher.
Additionally, all U.S. Lowe’s stores will feature a build-your-own Fire Rescuer Kit event for kids on Oct. 1. These events will give them the opportunity to explore fire safety while building a hand-made toy. Registration for the Fire Rescuer Workshop is available at Lowes.com/DIYU. Smoke and CO alarms, as well as fire extinguishers, will be on display while educational materials and activities from First Alert will be available while supplies last.
Fire and CO incidents both regularly occur throughout the U.S. On average, a fire department responds to a fire every 23 seconds, as reported by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and with approximately 50,000 people visiting the emergency department each year due to accidental CO poisoning, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Proper smoke and CO alarm placement and regular maintenance are essential parts of a comprehensive fire safety plan and can help prevent many of these tragedies.
“Fire safety is a whole-family affair, so it is crucial to involve the entire family when discussing the importance of smoke and CO alarms and fire extinguishers among other key safety measures to help ensure your home and family are protected,” said Ashley Gocken, a First Alert safety expert with Resideo Technologies. “Through our partnership with Lowe’s and local fire departments, we are sharing this knowledge to encourage continued fire safety preparedness and to help create safer communities nationwide.”
Experts recommend following the guidelines set by the NFPA and U.S. Fire Administration, which advise that homes have smoke alarms installed high on walls and ceilings inside every bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement. Additionally, CO alarms should be installed 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 CO alarms.
In many parts of the U.S., smoke and CO alarms are required by law. Local fire departments and building departments can provide relevant information, and additional information may be found at FirstAlert.com/community/legislation.
“It is our hope that this partnership will help generate awareness for the need to equip your home with safety products you can trust,” noted Gocken.
To learn more about helping protect your family from smoke, fire and CO, visit FirstAlert.com.
