Looking to see if you are the winner of our smoke alarm giveaway? Winner announced at the end of this post. See below.
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As moms and dads, we are busy, very busy. And with so much going on in our everyday lives, it can be hard to take time out and make sure you are prepared for the unexpected. These days, there are so many things to think about: hurricanes, tornadoes, winter storms, power outages, etc. Today, however, I want you to think about one item, fire safety.
A friend recently had a fire incident at her home (electrical fire started in her refrigerator). Fortunately, she was home and was able to catch the fire before it caused any serious damage, but her experience got me thinking about my own family’s fire preparation. So, when I learned that the Home Depot would be having a fire safety event in my area and was invited to attend, I happily accepted the invitation.
The fire safety event was held at the Waterbury Home Depot store this past Saturday. It included activities for the kids, fire safety information, and a ceremony announcing important fire safety donations being made by the Home Depot and Kidde.
The fire safety event started at 11, but we got there early so the kids could participate in the Kids Workshop. I had never been to a kids workshop event before and was curious as to how they worked.
Here is a little information from the Home Depot website on the Kids Workshops:
- FREE hands-on workshops designed for children ages 5 – 12 offered the 1st Saturday of every month at all The Home Depot stores between 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
- Workshops teach children do-it-yourself skills, tool safety and instill a sense of pride and accomplishment.
- All kids get to keep their craft and receive a FREE Kids Workshop Apron, commemorative pin and certificate of achievement.
Today’s event was building a holiday picture frame. My kids were way too young to do this activity on their own (a hammer was involved), so I needed to help a lot, but we still had fun. After checking in at the main desk and getting aprons and the frame kits for the kids, we went to work.
The activity involved a little hammering, the use of a screw driver, and a lot of decorating. We attempted to use paint, but that was a little much for my one year old, so we moved on to just using the cute holiday stickers.
Once the picture frame was complete, Bruiser went back up to the main desk to get his certificate of completion and a little pin for his apron showing he had completed the picture frame project (no one needs to know that mommy did some of the heavy lifting on this one, right?)
After the Kids Workshop, we headed over to the fire safety area where there were even more family friendly activities. The kids could color a thank you note for the fire fighters, visit with Santa, get their face painted and receive a balloon. The Home Depot employees were extremely friendly as they helped my kids with the coloring project and continuously replaced the balloons they somehow kept loosing.
While the kids were being entertained, I had time to get more information on what I really wanted to know about, fire safety.
I took a look at some of the fire safety equipment that they were displaying that day and tried to get some information on what I needed to do to prepare my home.
Did you know?
The winter holiday season should be a joyous time of year. However, certain types of fires associated with holiday decorating are much more common during this season. According to a 2011 report from The National Fire Protection Association, U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated annual average of 240 home structure fires that began with Christmas trees in 2005-2009. Find smoke alarms, fire extinguishers and emergency ladders at The Home Depot to help you prevent fires and keep your family safe.
I started to take a look at an important fire safety item for someone’s home, the smoke alarm. I had no idea that there was so much variety when it came to this type of equipment. The Kidde product on display at the store was new and was called a “worry-free” smoke alarm. It had a 10 year battery life and also specific equipment for each room in your home. There were smoke alarms designed for the kitchen, the living room, the hallway and bedroom areas. For example, the kitchen smoke alarm also included a carbon monoxide (CO) monitor and the bedroom alarm included a voice warning.
I started to think about the fact that my home has only one smoke alarm (in the kitchen area) and a CO monitor that came with the house. I had no idea how old either piece of equipment was and I had no idea that I needed more than these two devices to truly keep my family safe.
One thing that was nice about the event was that fire fighters from the Waterbury fire department were there and available to answer any questions people had. So I went to the best source, the Fire Chief. I asked him how many smoke alarms were needed in a home. He gave me a lot of information and told me as an example that in his home he has an alarm in the basement, the kitchen, the living room and all bedrooms. After speaking with him, I realized quickly that my house was in need of a lot more smoke detectors.
Did you know?
While a home fire can be extremely dangerous, the proper knowledge and preparation can make the difference. The Home Depot recommends that all homeowners should take 10 minutes to make sure their home is properly protected from fires by doing things such as:
- Taking inventory that smoke alarms are on every level of the home and inside each bedroom;
- Making and practicing a fire escape plan, with two ways out of every room and an outside meeting place;
- Installing carbon monoxide alarms on each level of the home;
- Searching for hidden hazards such as damaged electrical cords or overloaded outlets; and
- Scheduling regular cleanings of chimneys and flues at least once a year.
Another important activity happening at the Home Depot that day, was the announcement by Kidde and the Home Depot that they were making donations to two very important organizations.
- 2,500 smoke alarms would be donated to the Waterbury fire department for distribution to the local community; and
- $25,000 dollars would be donated to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. The mission of this organization is to, “honor and remember America’s fallen fire heroes and to provide resources to assist their survivors in rebuilding their lives.”
Did you know?
- The Home Depot is partnering with Kidde – the world’s largest manufacturer of fire safety products – and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) to donate $1 million worth, or 50,000 units, of Kidde battery-operated smoke alarms powered by 10-year Lithium Ion batteries to fire departments across the nation on Saturday, December 1.
- The smoke-alarm donations across the country are part of a larger initiative known as “Be a Hero, Save a Hero,” which educates Americans on the simple steps they can take to help protect their family from a fire and reduce the risks for firefighters.
- Through the initiative, Kidde will make donations to two non-profit organizations when customers log on to www.alarmpledge.com and promise to ensure their home has enough up-to-date and working smoke alarms. The pledge also encourages families to create and practice a home fire escape plan.
There was a warm spirit in the Home Depot store that day as they announced the local and national donations, talked to customers about fire safety, and even found time to have some fun with the kids.
Before we left, Bruiser had to stop by and visit the fire truck outside. He entertained the firemen by yelling “truck” and then wildly clapping his hands. What is it with kids and firetrucks? Always a crowd pleaser.
As we walked away from the store, I added to my mental “to-do” list that we needed replace our kitchen smoke alarm and add at least four others. We were already prepared with a fire extinguisher and I needed to think about what other equipment we might need like safety ladders. Fire safety was top of mind for me as we headed home. There is no time like the present to get prepared . . .
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Also, congratulations to JAYNE who is the winner in our smoke alarm giveaway. Please look for an email from us with more details on how to collect your prize.
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Get more details on fire safety information from the Home Depot here. And don’t forget to visit www.alarmpledge.com and commit to fire safety for your family.
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Check back every Tuesday and Thursday as we dish up more Momsense for getting out and about with your little ones. Don’t have time to check back in? Let us send you an automatic notification of new posts straight to your email inbox by signing up here. Also, you can like us on Facebook and Twitter to keep up with the latest posts and get some extra tidbits we share only through those sites.
The Home Depot partnered with bloggers such as me to help promote Fire Safety Awareness Month. As part of this promotion, I received compensation for my time. They did not tell me what to purchase or what to say about the products used. The Home Depot believes that consumers and bloggers are free to form their own opinions and share them in their own words. The Home Depot’s policies align with WOMMA Ethics Code, FTC guidelines and social media engagement recommendations.
