April 30, 2019
As the most trusted and recognized brand in home safety, our client First Alert is committed to educating the public about fire safety and the dangers of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. As part of this effort, every school year First Alert teams up with the Chicago Fire Department and the Chicago Bulls to organize a “Take Charge of Safety” program to educate elementary school-aged children in Chicago Public Schools across the city about home fire and CO safety – now in its fourth year!During the 2018-2019 school year, LCWA set out to promote the “Take Charge of Safety” events and the importance of teaching kids about whole home safety, including escape planning and what to do when an alarm sounds. As part of our media outreach, we secured an in-studio segment on ABC 7 Chicago featuring First Alert Brand & PR Manager Ashley Gocken as well as CFD Deputy District Chief Walter Schroeder. Watch the full segment here.
In addition to stressing the importance of fire safety education for kids, Ashley and Chief Schroeder also discussed fire and CO safety tips every homeowner should know, such as…
- How often should people check their smoke and CO detectors? Test your alarms regularly and replace batteries every six months (unless you have a 10-year sealed battery). Daylight Saving Time is a good reminder of this.
- Where should smoke and CO detectors be placed in people’s homes? Smoke alarms should be installed on every level of the home, including the basement, inside each bedroom and in the main corridors, and carbon monoxide alarms should be installed on each level of the home and in a central location outside each bedroom.
- When do you know it’s time for a new alarm? It is necessary to replace smoke alarms every 10 years and carbon monoxide alarms every five to ten years. If you don’t know how old an alarm is, the safest bet is to replace it immediately.
The “Take Charge of Safety” program is just one out of the many collaborative events First Alert supports every year across the country to positively impact the long-term safety for both families and their communities. To learn more about First Alert and fire/CO safety, please visit www.FirstAlert.com.