Leading fire safety manufacturer launches nationwide safety
awareness campaign ahead of summer holidays
VAUGHAN, ON, June 16, 2021 /CNW/ -- With Canada Day fast
approaching, many are looking forward to celebrating outdoors and
firing up the grill. In fact, 45% of Canadians plan to barbecue for
the upcoming holiday. However, barbecuing brings potential fire
hazards. To help Canadians stay safe this summer, Kidde is
launching a public safety initiative to raise awareness of the
importance of practicing fire safety outdoors and ultimately help
reduce the amount of injuries caused by grills fires. Kidde is
a part of Carrier Global Corporation (NYSE: CARR), the leading global provider of healthy,
safe and sustainable building and cold chain solutions.
In the event of a fire, proper use of fire safety equipment,
such as a fire extinguisher, is critical. And yet,
according to a new survey commissioned by Kidde and conducted
online by The Harris Poll among 1,021 Canadian adults aged 18 and
older, 75% do not know or aren't sure if they know how to use the
PASS (Pull the pin, Aim, Spray, Sweep) system for discharging a
fire extinguisher. The survey also found that while most barbecue
owners (85%) own a fire extinguisher, only 48% keep one within
reach while barbecuing. In addition, nearly half of barbecue
owners (46%) do not know that disposable fire extinguishers need to
be replaced every 12 years. As a committed advocate of fire and
carbon monoxide (CO) safety education, Kidde is providing
life-saving tips to help homeowners safely celebrate the summer
season.
"At Kidde, we understand that practicing fire safety goes beyond
just understanding the risks of fire and CO poisoning when
barbecuing outside or maintaining a fire pit," said Sharon Cooksey, Fire Safety Educator for Kidde.
"Most importantly, people need to understand how to properly use
equipment to protect your home and loved ones. As many Canadians
prepare to entertain outdoors – some for the first time in more
than a year – we are proud to share important tips to help them
safely celebrate summer."
Kidde shares the following advice to help protect residents from
the dangers of smoke, fire and CO while entertaining outdoors.
- Fire Extinguisher Safety: Barbecue owners should always
keep a multipurpose fire extinguisher within easy reach (but don't
place it directly against your barbecue). When using a fire
extinguisher, remember the PASS method: Pull the tab, Aim low
towards the base of the fire, Squeeze the handle, Sweep
side-to-side.
- Fire Extinguisher Maintenance: Always ensure the fire
extinguisher gauge is in the green zone and that it has been
replaced within the last 10-12 years.
- Barbecue Safety: Households should always place
barbecues at least 10 feet from their home. Not only will this help
protect the home's exterior materials, which could catch fire or
melt, but it will also help prevent CO from entering their living
spaces. Additionally, always make sure young children and pets stay
away from a hot barbecue. To do this, keep a 3-foot ring of safety
around the barbecue while you're cooking.
- Carbon Monoxide Safety: Only barbecue outdoors – never
in your garage (even with the door open). Not only can barbecuing
in your garage create fire risks, but a gas barbecue can produce
carbon monoxide (CO), which can move through drywall. Additionally,
don't barbecue next to an open window, vents, or ducts, since CO
could find its way into your home through those avenues.
- Alarm Maintenance: Working smoke alarms can cut the
chances of a home fire death in half. Smoke alarms must be replaced
after 10 years; CO alarms should be replaced every 7-10 years,
depending on the model. In addition to testing alarms once each
week, check the manufacturing date on your smoke and CO alarms to
make sure they are under 10 years of age. If they are older than
that, it is time to replace them.
- Alarm Placement: Smoke alarms should be installed on
every level of the home, including the basement, as well as inside
and outside of each sleeping area.
For more smoke and CO safety tips, visit kidde.com.
About Kidde
Kidde, a leading manufacturer of
residential smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, fire
extinguishers, and safety accessories, has been keeping the world a
safer place for over 100 years. Kidde produced the first integrated
smoke detection system a century ago and continues its legacy today
by delivering advanced fire-safety technology. Kidde is a part of
Carrier Global Corporation, the leading global provider of healthy,
safe and sustainable building and cold chain solutions. For more
information, visit kidde.com or follow @KiddeCanada, and on
Facebook and Instagram.
Survey Methodology:
This survey was conducted online
within Canada by The Harris Poll
on behalf of Kidde from May
19-21, 2021 among 1,021 adults ages 18 and older, among whom
615 own an outdoor barbeque (e.g., gas, electric, charcoal).
This online survey is not based on a probability sample and
therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be
calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting
variables and subgroup sample sizes, please contact Sharon
Cooksey at sharon.cooksey@carrier.com.
Contact:
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Sharon
Cooksey
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919-612-0583
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sharon.cooksey@carrier.com
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SOURCE Kidde