Steve on duty and the two of us 30 years ago and again this year
I’ve been married to a firefighter for 29 years. To say that he’s made me a bit of a safety fanatic would be an understatement. Still, there are some areas where even though I have the knowledge, I ignore it or assume “just this onetime, nothing will happen.” I’ve been lucky so far, but I know that the luck often runs out and it can lead to serious injury or even death. I’m hoping that admitting my dirty little safety secrets it might encourage you to come clean as well and we can make a pact to take home fire safety more serious.
Why take it seriously? Because the Fire Analysis and Research Division of the National Fire Protection Association reported that 38% of fatal fire injuries happen in homes without a smoke alarm. They also found that 24% of fire deaths occur in homes that have one smoke alarm which failed to operate. The most common cause of smoke detector failure? Dead or missing batteries.
From talking with my husband all these years, I’d say the stats are dead on and what sad stats they are. So many lives could be saved by the proper use, placement, and maintenance of smoke detectors.
Energizer Bunny (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Change Your Clock Change Your Battery® Day
To remind people to take a moment to consider their safety, November 4 has been designated Change Your Clock Change Your Battery® Day. It’s the 25th year this program has been in existence and this year fire departments nationwide are working Energizer and International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) to get more people participating. Their goal is to raise awareness on the importance of making sure your first line of defense – your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors – are in working order and have fresh batteries to make your home safer for you and your family.
When asked to participate in this year’s outreach we immediately said yes! We’re happy to help spread the word about fire safety and thanks to Energizer, we get to also tell you about some great products that we think you’ll find helpful in your quest to make things safer around your home.
Is your home ready for an emergency?
First is the Energizer® Flameless Wax Candle – my husband doesn’t allow open flames in our home, they’re much too dangerous, so we’ve been switching to flameless candles. The beauty of this one is that it looks, feels, and smells like a wax candle because it is, but it has the safety of being battery operated.
Flameless Candle vs Flame – a choice we can live with
Another product you may want to consider adding to your home is the Kidde Battery-Operated Combination Carbon Monoxide and Smoke Alarm. Every home should have at least one on every level of their home and dual alarms are a great way to get good coverage without having multiple alarms to check on and care for. We live in a tri-level home and we have alarms on every floor, in each bedroom, in the garage, kitchen, living room, crawlspaces, and attic. They’re cheap insurance on letting us know there’s a problem.
Voice alarms are said to be better recognized in an emergency and flashlight with safety checklist, emergency whistle, and more.
One item my husband keeps on his nightstand is a flashlight and the Energizer® Weatheready® Safety Light is a great choice. This one can be powered by AA, AAA, or C cell batteries – I think that’s brilliant! Plus it has a safety checklist right on the flashlight itself.
All of these products can be purchased at your favorite home improvement store or online. But you can also win them here! You can also visit the Energizer Bunny® Facebook page until 11/4, click on the Fire Safety Info Tab, and enter to win a Family Safety Kit with a RV of $150! While you’re there, check out the coloring and activity sheets, fire safety tips, and draw your own home escape plan.
:free:
I have only 1 smoke detector
We have working smoke detectors (all linked to one another – b/c one was going off once in a distant part of the house and we never heard it – fortunately particulate, not fire upset the detector) & working carbon monoxide detectors.
Yes I have several of both in my house.
Thanks for the giveaway… smoke / fire detectors we test every week !
yes i have working detectors
Yes I do.
I have smoke detectors but not carbon monoxide detectors.
I have a smoke detector but not a carbon monoxide detector.
We have a working smoke detector, but not a carbon monoxide detector.
I have both. 🙂
Yes, we have both
I have working smoke detectors
I have a working smoke detector
I have a smoke detector but no carbon monoxide detector
I know the smoke alarm works, but the carbon monoxide detector has gone off before even though there was nothing wrong.
We do have a smoke detector.
Yes to both!
we have working smoke detectors but not carbon monoxide detectors
Yes, we have both!
Yes, and both of them currently work.
I only have smoke detectors=[
We have both – very important!
I do have a working carbon dioxide detector but need another smoke detector
we have both!
ardelong2(at)gmail(dot)com
Yes we have a combo one, smoke detector/carbon monoxide detector
yes we have both and i just changed the batteries
I have a working smoke detector but need another one. And I do not have a carbon monoxide detector yet
Yes, my smoke alarms work.
kelleyc76(at)live(dot)com
We have one but need one in our bedroom.
Nope, it’s on my desk. I hate it; it goes off everyday – I can’t cook!
I do have a working smoke detector and carbon monoxide detector, but can use an upgrade
we have lots
I have a working smoke alarm, but I don’t have enough and don’t have a carbon monoxide detector.
i have both but my carbon monoxide detector dont work
I do have a working smoke detector, but not a Carbon Monoxide detector.
chrissylea1979 (at)gmail(dot) com
We have both
I have 2 working smoke detectors–no carbon monoxide because this is a totally electric house. Smoke detectors proved their worth earlier this year–grandson tossed some linseed oil rags into his laundry basket and they self-ignited. Woke me at about midnight and was able to get the fire out very quickly, but took a couple of days for the smoke aftereffects to be totally gone.
We have both!
My apartment has 1 smoke detector
I keep all 3 of my smoke detectors working. My family means too much to me not to.
I definately have a working smoke detector, but have never purchased a CO detector.
We have both 🙂
We have both a smoke detector and carbon detector.
I have both in several areas of my home 🙂
We have a smoke detector, but not a carbon monoxide detector.
We have both a smoke detector and carbon detector.
We have a heat detector.
We have both!
We have both
No but I keep meaning to get one of each.
No, but I am planning on it.
We only have smoke detectors
We have a smoke alarm, should really get a carbon detector, though we have no gas appliances or devices, so not sure if it’s needed.
No we don’t but I am planning to get some really soon.
i have both in my house
I have both a working CO2 and CO detector
I have both. Thanks for the giveaway.
I have both
Yes, we have both 🙂
We have a smoke detector that is also a Carbon Monoxide detector.
yes we have both !
We have three smoke alarms and one carbon one
We have smoke detectors
we have both in our house
brich22 at earthlink dot net
Yes we have both.
yup my smoke detecters are working, they went off a few days ago when i burnt my stinking chicken i was baking.
we have smoke detectors but not carbon monoxide detectors
Yes i have a working smoke detector:)
Yes, we have both but the carbon monoxide detector is separate plugged in an outlet. It would be nice to have it together like this one.
I think I do, we just got them installed last month
Just have smoke detectors
i have smoke detectors but would love the carbon monoxide detector for my home
I have a working smoke detector but not a carbon monoxide detector.
we have smoke detectors
I have a smoke detector!
We have two working fire alarms!
Yes we have a working smoke detector and carbon monoxide detector.
Yes, we have some in our home. One of them is old and should be replaced though.
Yes, we have both!
We have one for the downstairs but sadly not one for upstairs
smoke detectors yes, no carbon monoxide detector
yes, we have several working smoke detectors
Yes – many in many of the house’s rooms.
We have both, actually.
We just have smoke detectors.
We have a working smoke detector,but not carbon monoxide detector
I have a smoke detectors throughout the house. Thanks!
I have 2 working smoke detectors but no carbonmonoxide detector
I only have one working smoke detector!
We just have a couple smoke detectors
yes working smoke detector but no carbon monoxide, I don’t have gas..thanks for this giveaway!
We have a working smoke detector only
yep got both but bet they’re getting old
I just have a working smoke detector.
We have several smoke detectors biy not carbon monoxide. Our house is all electric.
Yes, we have both carbon monoxide and smoe detectors.
Yes I have smoke detectors in each room and 2 carbon monoxide detectors.
I don’t have a carbon monoxide detector up at the moment in the house because we don’t have any need for it..this house doesn’t require one…I do however, have one in the garage, and one in the shed because I worry about those enclosed spaces and running engines. We are careful, but you can’t be too careful! The smoke detector is actually a need right now and I will probably be going out to get one today or tomorrow.. I have them spread throughout the house, but the one near the kitchen goes off when there is steam, or the heater kicks on, or the oven opens… even when someone uses the toaster..UGH
We have a working smoke detector but no carbon monoxide one.
We have a working smoking detector, but not a carbon monoxide
We have never had a carbon monoxide detector. We thought that our smoke detector (which is several years old) was working fine, but it’s started going off when steam from the bathroom comes out into the hall, so we had to remove the battery until we can get a new detector.
have fire detectors but no carbon monoxide ones
No and No…My bad!!!
I have a working smoke detector
Yes we have both and check them every 6 months
I believe it’s required by law in my state to have a hard wired smoke detector. When my daughter bought her house my house warming gift was a carbon monoxide detector.
GREAT gift!
Yes we do! 3 smokes alarms and 1 carbon monoxide detector.
Thanks for the chance.
[email protected]
We have a smoke detector in the house but we could use one for the garage area!
We have a smoke detector.
yes we have a smoke detector.
we have one smoke detector not state of the art but works
Yes, we have smoke and CO detectors upstairs and downstairs.
We have smoke detectors but no carbon monoxide detectors.
yes we have 4 smoke alarms in our home and no carbon monoxide detector
Nope, I don’t
I have working alarms.
i have both!
I have both – and they work!
I have working smoke detectors but not carbon monoxide detectors.
Yes, we have both.
Yes we have both…
Yes, I have both and will change the batteries when the clocks change.
We just bought a house and it did have them up but the look very old so we plan on replacing as soon as possible.
I’ve got both since we had to have these in order to move into our house.
Great advice – thanks for helping keep us all safe!
I have a smoke detector but no carbon monoxide detector.
We have both detectors in our house
I have a working smoke alarm
Yes, I have both a working smoke detector and a working carbon monoxide detector
I live on a millitary base so they always remeber to change batteries ect..we actually have the smoke detectors your offering in this giveaway
I have both~
I do have both- but with two little boys in the house we need to make sure it is always working
I do need to update our smoke alarms. I saw a news program recently that there are two types of smoke detectors. One type is better at detecting a smoldering fire than the other type. It seems like the best plan would be to have both types.
This is a great idea! I love the idea of flameless candles for safety – they’re still beautiful! And, you’ve just reminded me to check those smoke detector batteries! We recently moved into a home with a furnace instead of just electric heat and I’ve been meaning to buy a carbon monoxide detector. Thanks for all the great reminders & safety ideas!
Get that carbon monoxide detector asap! Thanks for taking an active role in keeping your family safe.