Be Prepared with First Alert

Thank you First Alert for sponsoring this post. October is Fire Prevention Month! Help ensure your home and family are ready for the unexpected by installing smoke & CO alarms and having fire extinguishers!

Hey guys! I know typically I am talking about all things luxe, but nothing is more luxurious than being safe in your own home! Did you know that October is Fire Prevention Month? This is a friendly reminder and some tips on how to ensure your home and family are ready for the unexpected by installing/checking your smoke and CO alarms and having a fire extinguisher. I’m getting ready to move into my new Condo and I want to make sure my safety is a priority.
 
Growing up, I only remember going over fire safety at school - never in the home. I think culturally, Black families don’t talk a lot about fire prevention, safety and having a plan to safely get out of the house. As a single woman who lives with just myself and my little dog Ralph, my safety and his means a lot to me. Especially when I have to leave my home and leave Ralph, who is my dog baby alone. I want to make sure I have the proper tools/resources to ensure he stays safe if something were ever to happen. However, it is really important to have the tools and resources ready just in case the unimaginable happens. Let me ask you these important questions:
 

1. How often do you test your alarms? Have the batteries been changed? (You can get First Alert’s Combination Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm with a 10-Year Sealed Battery which eliminates the need for battery replacements. 
   
2. Do you have smoke and carbon monoxide alarms installed? Are they in every bedroom - on every level of the house?
   
3. Do you have an exit escape plan for your household? Have you practiced it at least twice a year?
   

 
If even one of these questions is a no, let’s get on it TODAY! Did you know, “3 out of 5 home fires deaths occur in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.” (Source: National Fire Protection Association).
 
Now, I know I’m typically bringing the heat, so I also need to make sure I’m ready to put out a fire. I think still to this day, my parents do not have a fire extinguisher in their house - I’m going to make sure I fix that for them ASAP and get them one of these First Alert Kitchen Fire Extinguishers for their home. This is the first time that I’ll be owning my own fire extinguisher in my new home. Especially since right now, we are all spending more time at home and experimenting in the kitchen - did you know that the #1 cause of fires is due to unattended cooking?
 
This is why it’s so important to have an extinguisher within arm’s reach! Knowing that my house is set up for safety makes me sleep better at night but also during the day when I may need to leave, especially leaving Ralph at home by himself. Do you have a fire safety checklist? I didn't even know this was a thing, and I am almost 35 years old! However, there is no shame in implementing a plan at any time - even now. Make sure your fire safety checklist includes: when you are replacing alarms, when you are checking them, when to change your batteries in alarms and of course - your plan for a safe emergency exit!
 
Please make sure you develop, implement and review frequently your fire safety plans. If you need one of these amazing First Alert Kitchen Fire Extinguishers or Combination Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Alarms with a 10-Year Sealed Battery - you can head over to Lowe’s and purchase one! There is really no price on you or your family’s safety and well-being. If you can prevent something from happening, why wouldn’t you.