Fire Safety in Your Home with First Alert

We are spending much more time at home these days and with that being said, it’s important to use this time as a reminder to make fire safety a priority in your home!

First Alert is Canada’s most trusted brand in fire safety, developing and designing innovative safety solutions including smart home products, smoke alarms, carbon monoxide (CO) alarms, fire extinguishers and more to transform the way people live.

I remember last spring, in the middle of the night, our CO alarm went off. It sent Brent and I into a panic as we looked at each other then rushed up to the kids bedrooms to pull them all out of bed. We sat on our back porch and waited for a long time. Brent went in after a little while and checked on the whole house, and then he noticed that our alarm wasn’t working properly. It was a big learning lesson for us and now we have a solid fire plan in place. There may never be a time that we need to put that plan into action, but you just never know, it could be the plan that saves lives.

I recently discovered an amazing and convenient product from First Alert, First Alert EZ Fire Spray (which retails for $19.99 CDN)

What is EZ Fire Spray?

• Features a lightweight, simple spray can design – just point and spray.

• For consumers wanting a product that is easier to handle than traditional fire extinguishers during an emergency.

• Covers a wider surface area – up to three times greater than a typical fire extinguisher.

• The discharge time for First Alert Fire Spray is up to four times greater than that of standard household fire extinguishers – giving users more time to fight the fire.

• Contains a powerful, proven liquid firefighting agent that is effective on common household fires including paper, fabric, wood, cooking oil and electrical fires.

• The compact Fire Spray is easy to store in cabinets or drawers, or on shelves and countertops.

• The firefighting agent is non-toxic and easy to clean up.

• Designed for one-time use and therefore should be replaced after using.

• Available at several retail locations nationwide, including Canadian Tire.

Having fire extinguishers and knowing how to use them is an important part of maintaining a safe home for you and your family.

Here is some more tips and information when it comes to Fire Safety and First Alert.

• Place fire extinguishers in high-risk locations such as the kitchen and garage, and on every level of the home, where they are easily accessible.

• In case of a fire, first take the necessary precautions and alert everyone in your home of the fire and immediately call the fire department.

• Make sure you are safe from smoke and that the fire is not between you and your only escape route.

• If a fire is small and contained in a single object like a pan or a wastebasket, you can use your fire extinguisher to put out the flames.

• Fire extinguishers are not applicable in all situations. They are best for small fires, and safe evacuation should always be the number one goal.

• Traditional fire extinguishers generally have a 10-12 year life expectancy. Disposable fire extinguishers should be replaced every 12 years.

• (NFPA) recommends installing smoke alarms on every level of the home, including the basement, and inside each bedroom.

• Test alarms regularly and replacing the batteries every six months is crucial. First Alert alarms are equipped with a test button to make this easy.

• Alarms don’t last forever and need to be replaced at least every 10 years.

Fire Escape Planning — every home and family should have one!

• A critical component of home safety is having and frequently practicing an emergency escape plan with your entire family.

• Only 56 per cent of Canadians have a fire escape plan, and among those that do, just one in five said they practiced it twice a year.

• Follow these steps to ensure your family has an effective emergency escape plan:
  1. Identify two ways out of each room, including windows and doors.
  2.Choose an outside meeting placer, a safe distance from your home where everyone can meet.
  3.Once outside, stay outside and call 911. Under no circumstances should you ever go back into a burning building. If someone is missing, inform the fire department dispatcher when you call. Firefighters have the skills and equipment to perform rescues.

On average, fires take the lives of eight people each week in Canada and residential fires account for the largest number of fires in Canada, according to the Canada Safety Council. Home fires occur more in the winter than in any other season. Cooking is the leading cause of home fires, home-fire injuries and the second leading cause of home fire deaths.

Only 66% of Canadian homes with kids have fire extinguishers throughout the house.

I encourage you, more then ever to sit down with your family to create a Fire Escape Plan, as well as making sure you have a fire extinguisher in your home!

First Alert’s products are available online and at select retail distributors. For more information about First Alert products and where to purchase, visit http://firstalert.ca.