Community Outreach and Donation of Hundreds of Smoke and
Carbon Monoxide Alarms to Increase Home Safety
Nationwide
BRAMPTON, Ontario, Oct. 9, 2019 /CNW/ -- We all do our best to
create safe and healthy homes, and yet many Canadians are
under-protected and unprepared when it comes to fire and carbon
monoxide (CO) safety. For this reason, First Alert and the Canadian
Volunteer Fire Services Association (CVFSA) are partnering this
Fire Prevention Month to help families across the country protect
what matters most and achieve whole home safety, supplemented by an
alarm donation program to support community risk reduction
initiatives.
According to the Canadian National Fire Information Database, 80
per cent of fire deaths occur in homes without working smoke
alarms, often due to missing alarm batteries or expired alarms.* In
addition, more than one-third (35 per cent) of Canadian homes don't
have CO alarms.** Through their ongoing collaboration, First Alert
and CVFSA are combining resources and expertise to educate families
about the dangers of fire and CO, and how to better protect loved
ones in the event of a home emergency.
"There is no question that smoke and CO alarms help save lives,
so many of these tragedies could be prevented with proper
placement, number and regular maintenance of working smoke and CO
alarms," said Tarsila Wey, director
of marketing, First Alert. "We are proud to partner with the CVFSA
and provide support for the volunteer firefighters across the
country who are committed to keeping their communities safe from
the threats on fire and CO."
Ensuring properly functioning smoke and CO alarms are installed
throughout the home – inside every bedroom, outside each sleeping
area and on every level of the home, including the basement, as
recommended by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) – is
the first line of defense for fire prevention. Additionally,
batteries should be replaced at least every six months and alarms
must be regularly tested and replaced at least every 10 years.
"We are very excited about our new partnership with First
Alert," said Troy Mutch, national
president, CVFSA. "By combining our efforts with First Alert, we
can better provide our communities with the tools and knowledge
necessary to decrease in-home incidents and ensure long-term safety
and sustainability for all."
To complement the partnership, First Alert donated hundreds of
10-year smoke and CO alarms to support the local efforts of CVFSA
members nationwide.
According to the NFPA, three out of five home fire deaths result
from fires in properties without working smoke alarms – often due
to missing alarm batteries from intentional device deactivation. In
response to these life-threatening concerns, fire service
professionals recommend installing 10-year sealed battery alarms –
which eliminate the risk of ever having an alarm deactivated due to
battery removal. First Alert 10-year battery alarms provide
hassle-free protection, eliminating battery replacement and
low-battery chirps for the life of the alarm.
To learn more about fire and CO alarms and other home safety
products, visit the First Alert website at http://www.firstalert.ca
or www.volunteerfirefightersofcanada.ca.
* Canadian National Fire Information Database,
"Statistics Canada Report," September
2017
**First Alert Consumer Survey, "Canadians Knowledge Regarding
Fire Safety & Prevention," October
2017
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.
©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.
About Canadian Volunteer Fire Services Association
(CVFSA)
The Canadian Volunteer Fire Services
Association (CVFSA) is the only national organization whose sole
purpose is to represent volunteer fire and emergency first
responders and volunteer emergency medical services (EMS)
personnel. Since 1999, we've proudly supported volunteer fire and
EMS departments across Canada
through our advocacy, education seminars, insurance programs, web
site, resources, and government representation.
For additional information, please visit cvfsa.ca.
Contacts: Lindsey Lucenta
or Brittni Olson
L.C. Williams & Associates
P: 1-800-837-7123
E: llucenta@lcwa.com or bolson@lcwa.com
SOURCE First Alert