|
|
(HealthNewsDigest.com)-Americans can take simple steps to protect their families from house fires. For instance, every time you change the clocks for daylight-saving time, change the batteries in your smoke detectors. The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) says that’s the best way to keep your family safe during a home fire.
Know The Risks
A home fire death occurs about every three hours in the U.S., and roughly two-thirds of those deaths result from fires in homes without working smoke alarms. And while 96 percent of American homes have at least one smoke detector, 19 percent do not have at least one that works, mostly due to missing or dead batteries, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).
People also often disable their smoke alarms to avoid “nuisance activations” caused by cooking fumes and steam. A safer alternative is to move the alarm farther away from kitchens or bathrooms.
To help keep people safe, Energizer and the IAFC launched the Change Your Clock Change Your Battery® (CYCCYB) initiative 22 years ago. In 2009, the day to set your clocks back and change the batteries in your smoke detectors is November 1. The program also reminds families to change the batteries in their carbon monoxide detectors and their emergency flashlights so they are prepared in case a severe winter storm causes a power outage.
The campaign is part of an overall family preparedness effort to keep communities safe all year long. During the fall, Energizer and the IAFC will inform families about fire safety with the CYCCYB program. In the spring, they will encourage communities to get prepared for natural disasters, such as tornadoes and hurricanes, with the Keep Safe. Keep Going® program.
The IAFC reminds people that the best way to protect your family in a home fire is to have a working smoke detector. And the NFPA offers these safety facts:
Fire Safety
• A smoke detector doubles your chances of surviving a home fire-but only if it works.
• Developing a family emergency escape plan can be crucial to everyone’s safety.
• Home fire fatalities occur most often between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m.-when most people are asleep and the house is dark.
• Smoke alarms should be replaced at least every 10 years.
Carbon Monoxide 101
• About 700 people in the U.S. die each year from unintentional, nonfire carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Carbon monoxide is sometimes called “the silent killer.” It is colorless, odorless and tasteless.
• Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include headache, weakness, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, chest pain and confusion.
• A carbon monoxide detector can tell you when dangerous levels of the gas are present.
Flashlight Facts
• Candles used for light in the absence of electrical power cause one-third of fatal home fires.
• Candles are the third-leading cause of injuries from home fires, following cooking and heating.
• When your power goes out, use flashlights instead of candles.
Additional Information
The IAFC is a nonprofit association representing nearly 13,000 chief fire officers and emergency services leaders worldwide. Its members are the world’s leading experts in firefighting, emergency medical services, terrorism response, hazardous materials spills, natural disasters, search and rescue and public safety legislation.
For more information on fire safety, visit www.iafc.org and www.energizer.com/firesafety
Subscribe to our FREE Ezine and be eligible for Health News, discounted products/services and coupons related to your Health. We publish 24/7.
HealthNewsDigest.com
We also create, produce and distribute tv/cable public service campaigns: HealthyTelevisionProductions