Survey Shows Majority Of Canadians May Be Unprepared To Barbecue Safely This Summer

With Canada Day fast approaching, many are looking forward to celebrating outdoors and firing up the grill. In fact, 45% of Canadians plan to barbecue for the upcoming holiday. However, barbecuing brings potential fire hazards. To help Canadians stay safe this summer, Kidde is launching a public safety initiative to raise awareness of the importance of practicing fire safety outdoors and ultimately help reduce the amount of injuries caused by grills fires. Kidde is a part of Carrier Global Corporation (NYSE: CARR), the leading global provider of healthy, safe and sustainable building and cold chain solutions.

In the event of a fire, proper use of fire safety equipment, such as a fire extinguisher, is critical. And yet, according to a new survey commissioned by Kidde and conducted online by The Harris Poll among 1,021 Canadian adults aged 18 and older, 75% do not know or aren’t sure if they know how to use the PASS (Pull the pin, Aim, Spray, Sweep) system for discharging a fire extinguisher. The survey also found that while most barbecue owners (85%) own a fire extinguisher, only 48% keep one within reach while barbecuing. In addition, nearly half of barbecue owners (46%) do not know that disposable fire extinguishers need to be replaced every 12 years. As a committed advocate of fire and carbon monoxide (CO) safety education, Kidde is providing life-saving tips to help homeowners safely celebrate the summer season.

“At Kidde, we understand that practicing fire safety goes beyond just understanding the risks of fire and CO poisoning when barbecuing outside or maintaining a fire pit,” said Sharon Cooksey, Fire Safety Educator for Kidde. “Most importantly, people need to understand how to properly use equipment to protect your home and loved ones. As many Canadians prepare to entertain outdoors – some for the first time in more than a year – we are proud to share important tips to help them safely celebrate summer.”

Kidde shares the following advice to help protect residents from the dangers of smoke, fire and CO while entertaining outdoors.

• Fire Extinguisher Safety: Barbecue owners should always keep a multipurpose fire extinguisher within easy reach (but don’t place it directly against your barbecue). When using a fire extinguisher, remember the PASS method: Pull the tab, Aim low towards the base of the fire, Squeeze the handle, Sweep side-to-side.
• Fire Extinguisher Maintenance: Always ensure the fire extinguisher gauge is in the green zone and that it has been replaced within the last 10-12 years.
• Barbecue Safety: Households should always place barbecues at least 10 feet from their home. Not only will this help protect the home’s exterior materials, which could catch fire or melt, but it will also help prevent CO from entering their living spaces. Additionally, always make sure young children and pets stay away from a hot barbecue. To do this, keep a 3-foot ring of safety around the barbecue while you’re cooking.
• Carbon Monoxide Safety: Only barbecue outdoors – never in your garage (even with the door open). Not only can barbecuing in your garage create fire risks, but a gas barbecue can produce carbon monoxide (CO), which can move through drywall. Additionally, don’t barbecue next to an open window, vents, or ducts, since CO could find its way into your home through those avenues.
• Alarm Maintenance: Working smoke alarms can cut the chances of a home fire death in half. Smoke alarms must be replaced after 10 years; CO alarms should be replaced every 7-10 years, depending on the model. In addition to testing alarms once each week, check the manufacturing date on your smoke and CO alarms to make sure they are under 10 years of age. If they are older than that, it is time to replace them.
• Alarm Placement: Smoke alarms should be installed on every level of the home, including the basement, as well as inside and outside of each sleeping area.

For more smoke and CO safety tips, visit kidde.com.

SOURCE Kidde