Sometimes I joke about handsome firemen coming to my home whenever I attempt to cook – I should be so lucky! – but a real fire is no laughing matter.
Even though I live above a major earthquake fault line, nothing scares me more than fire. (Flying comes a close second.) So when Kidde, the world’s largest manufacturer of fire safety products, approached me with their Home Safety Quiz and Worry-Free Alarms, I was intrigued.
As you know, I rarely do sponsored posts, however, after I failed their safety quiz (which you should take, below), my eye started to twitch and I knew I had to share this with my readers because I care about you. You’re welcome.
I don’t mean to be a buzzkill, but The National Fire Protection Association reports most home fires and CO poisonings occur in winter. After all, as the weather turns cold and you crank up the heat, so does the chance that your family could experience a home fire or carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. In addition to heating appliances, burning candles, twinkling lights, gorgeous glowing Christmas trees, and extra cooking, are all potential fire-hazards.
Take the quiz.
Take the home safety quiz and see if you’re as prepared as you think you are. I came to the burning, er, shocking realization that we weren’t as prepared as we should be. Have we discussed an escape route with our family? No. Do we own a collapsible ladder? No, though I did look at one once in a mail-order catalog years ago. Does that count? Probably not. Thankfully, we do have smoke alarms and I can always count on them to alert me, with a blood curdling chirp, at 3 A.M. when the battery is low.
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Home Safety Quiz:
One in four older homes needs to update fire safety equipment. How old are your alarms?
· Replace smoke alarms every 10 years. Replace CO alarms every five to 10 years, based on the model.
· Purchase an alarm with a 10-year sealed lithium battery, such as Kidde Worry-Free smoke and CO alarms, to receive hassle-free protection for a decade –no need to change a battery or hear a low battery chirp. Available nationwide at retailers like The Home Depot and Walmart, each alarm installed will save you $40 over its life in battery costs.
Seventy-five percent of homeowners don’t know where to install smoke alarms. Do you have one on every floor, and inside/outside all bedrooms?
· Choose alarms with room-specific features, such as an LED light in the hallway, or a voice notification for the bedroom.
· Place a CO alarm near sleeping areas and on each floor. Keep them 10 feet away from fuel-burning appliances.
Do your alarms incorporate the newest features and technology?
· A sealed-in 10-year lithium battery continuously powers the alarm for 10 years. It’s tamper-proof and can’t be removed.
· A digital display shows the level of CO in the air and updates the reading every 15 seconds.
· An intelligent multi-sensor responds faster to real fires and CO, plus it reduces nuisance alarms like those commonly caused by cooking.
· An end-of-life warning lets you know when to replace your alarms.
Do you need other safety products?
· Fire extinguisher – place one within reach in rooms where fires often begin: kitchen, garage, bedroom, living area
· Escape ladder – place in second and third-floor rooms as an alternative escape route
Have you developed a family escape plan?
· Practice it regularly. Know two ways out of every room and who will assist children and loved ones with mobility/health issues.
Do your children know their address and how to dial 911?
· Post your home address and emergency phone numbers on the refrigerator.
Are your appliances and chimney winter-ready?
· Have a professional inspect fuel-burning appliances to ensure they function properly and that they vent outside.
· Have a professional clean or inspect fireplaces annually. Birds and small animals can make nests and leaves can build up on top of the chimney, preventing carbon monoxide from venting properly.
· Have you created a 3-foot clutter free zone around fireplaces, space heaters or wood stoves?
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Did you pass the test?
I’m guessing most of you did not and your head is spinning right about now. Please check out www.worryfreealarm.com for more safety resources and where you’ll find a Winter Home Safety Checklist, as well as a wonderful printable for children (Safety Activity Sheet) to help them better understand how they can be part of your family’s safety strategy.
Let’s make sure that the only home fires burning, are the good kind 😉
Elaine says
I’m rethinking my holiday gift list…Maybe a set of Kidde fire alarms is the way to go for all the loved ones on my list! Thanks for the sharing…and always appreciate your touch of humor – even on a serious matter.
Carol Cassara says
Thank heavens I did ok! Worthy post….important info.
Sheryl Kraft says
Thanks for getting the word out. This is way too important to ignore!
Anne Parris says
We have Kidde smoke alarms, and they are really good. My mother-in-law died after a house fire, so fire safety and having the right fire detection products are really important to me.
A Dish of Daily Life says
Important information here! Everyone should read this!
mindy says
Great piece, Linda. And SO very important. We take things like fire safety for granted, but really we should NOT!
Christina Simon says
You never know how much you need to be prepared until you actually need this stuff. Great information. Thank you!
Sarah Maizes says
Thankfully my alarms are new. But that’s because one of our 100 year old alarms suddenly burst into flames last year. The landlady replaced them after that.
Connie McLeod says
Thanks for posting. This is important information!
Deborah Chase says
Wonderful post! You dealt with a frightening problem with such a lovely positive tone. I definately will review fire safety devices in our family.
Helene Cohen Bludman says
Such great advice, and I confess I did not do well on this quiz. Thanks for the wake up call.
Lois Alter Mark says
Such an important topic. I have those Kidde alarms upstairs and downstairs in my house.
Judy says
I came here to thank you for the nice tweet. Now I’m on a Kidde shopping frenzy – Thanks for saving our lives!
Cynthia Kaplan Baseman says
Must get the word out to check smoke/CO2 alarms every 6 months. Most of us have the D battery type, which run about $35-40 bucks. Thanks for posting about such an important, yet overlooked, item.
Walker Thornton says
Thank you. I shared this with my son and his family!
Hayley Kaplan says
Well, I did click to see the handsome fireman and he is indeed handsome. 😉 Good info too – thanks for sharing.
Sandra Sallin says
So if I let my alarm for off will that cute guy come and rescue me? Actually this is an important post. I’m now going to find out about our alarms. Thanks.