MEBANE, N.C., Feb. 23, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- NASCAR Sprint
Cup champion Kevin Harvick and Kidde Fire Safety have teamed up to
promote home fire safety and prevention. On Feb. 13, Harvick and Kidde donated Kidde smoke
alarms with sealed 10-year batteries to the Florida Fire Marshals and Inspectors
Association (FFMIA) at the Daytona International Speedway. Harvick
is also spreading the word about fire safety by sharing his own
personal home fire experience in new Share Your Story videos on
Kidde's website and YouTube channel. Kidde, a leading manufacturer
of residential fire safety products, is a part of UTC Building
& Industrial Systems, a unit of United Technologies Corp.
(NYSE: UTX).
Effective Jan. 1, 2015, a new
Florida law requires residents to
install smoke alarms with sealed 10-year batteries when replacing
outdated battery-operated alarms. The FFMIA will distribute the
donated smoke alarms throughout the state for fire departments to
install in at-risk homes.
In late 2013, Harvick, his wife and his son escaped without
injury when a fire abruptly started in their North Carolina home. Due to a working smoke
alarm and a quick response from the local fire department, Harvick
and his family members' lives were spared and their home was saved.
Since the incident, he has sought to educate the public about the
importance of working smoke alarms and to show appreciation to
firefighters.
"I know first-hand that smoke alarms are a key factor in
protecting what matters most -- our families and our homes,"
Harvick said. "Many home fire deaths are preventable, and it's
really important that we all do our part in raising awareness of
fire safety tips that can help save lives."
The videos focus on simple home fire safety steps:
- Replace smoke alarms every 10 years. Consider installing smoke
alarms with a 10-year sealed-in, tamper-proof battery such as
Kidde's Worry-Free alarms.
- Place fire extinguishers within reach on every level of your
home.
- Install UL-listed CO alarms on each floor and near
bedrooms.
- Create and practice an escape plan with your family.
- Commit to being a safety hero. Staying fire safe helps keep
your family safer and reduces the risk of injury and death to
firefighters.
"Kidde's mission is to help save lives, and we are pleased to
work with Kevin, who is passionate about helping people protect
their families," said Chris
Rovenstine, vice-president of sales and marketing, Kidde.
"Most home fire deaths in the U.S. occur in homes without any smoke
alarm or a working alarm. The main reason they don't work is due to
dead or missing batteries. Replacing outdated alarms with Kidde's
Worry-Free sealed battery models provides the warning needed in an
emergency and eliminates the hassle of having to replace batteries.
It is a simple solution that can make a difference in a big
way."
To learn more about fire safety and to view the Share Your Story
videos, go to www.kidde.com.
About Kidde
Kidde is a leading manufacturer of
residential smoke alarms, carbon monoxide (CO) alarms and fire
extinguishers, and has been delivering advanced fire-safety
technology since it produced the first integrated smoke detection
and carbon dioxide extinguishing system more than 90 years ago.
Kidde is a part of UTC Building & Industrial Systems, a unit of
United Technologies Corp., a leading provider to the aerospace and
building systems industries worldwide. For more information, visit
www.kidde.com or follow @KiddeSafety on Twitter and
@KiddeFireSafety on Instagram.
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SOURCE Kidde