For Fire Prevention Month in October, UL’s Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI) has unveiled two new smoke alarm public safety announcements (PSAs) in its Smoke Alarm Friendship Series, inviting people to reimagine their relationships with their smoke alarms. The new PSAs are aimed at driving awareness of the importance of having working smoke alarms properly installed in homes. Their release coincides with the release of results from FSRI’s annual consumer fire safety survey that points to both behavior and awareness gaps when it comes to fire safety, with nearly one in four (22%) respondents believing the risk of death or injury is low in the event of a house fire.
The new PSAs continue the Smoke Alarm Friendship series with two scenes encouraging viewers to install working smoke alarms in their homes, because while home fires are decreasing, home fire deaths are on the rise. People should make sure they have working smoke alarms on every floor of their home, including the basement, as well as inside and outside of every sleeping area.
Another important fire safety action people should take to protect themselves and their loved ones in the event of a fire is having and practicing an escape plan that includes having two ways to get out of every room and identifying a common meeting place outside of the home.
In addition, according to FSRI’s research, everyone should Close Before You Doze®. A closed door can be an effective barrier against deadly levels of carbon monoxide, smoke, and flames, and may give people more time to respond to the smoke alarm. In fact, there can be a 900-degree difference in room temperature between a room with an open door and one with a closed door, with the open-door room reaching temperatures of 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit or more. Read More…