Sponsored by: Kidde California’s landmark law aimed at increasing public safety and ensuring reliable fire detection went into effect more than ten years ago. It requires all battery-powered smoke alarms sold in the state to have a built-in, sealed, non-removable battery that will last 10 years. Stephanie Berzinski, Senior Manager of External Communications for fire safety leader Kidde, joins our Laura Cavanaugh to discuss California’s mandate and its impact ten years later. Kidde is committed to fire safety. Their smoke alarms are tamper-resistant and most alarms come with built-in, sealed batteries that will last for ten years. “It’s a sad reality, but 3,000 people die each year in the U.S. in house fires,” said Berzinski. “So we really want to make fire safety a priority for folks.” Berzinski says now is the perfect time to review your fire safety checklist. Make sure you have working smoke alarms inside each bedroom and on every level of your home. Make sure you have a fire escape plan in writing and practice it with your family at least twice a year. Most importantly, Berzinski says to check every smoke alarm in your home and look at the manufacture date. It will be on the back or on the side of the device. Add ten years to that date. If that date falls within the ten year range, then the alarm is still good. However, if that date is past that ten year mark, it is time to replace the entire alarm. Smoke alarms do have an end of life. “What we want to do is for people to beat the beep,” said Berzinski. “A lot of times the alarms will reach their end of life and they’ll sound that continuous chirping. And a lot of people will think there’s a fire emergency or something’s not working correctly or they’ll disable the alarm again. That is, in fact, your alarm telling you hey, it is time to take me down and it is time to replace me with a new one.” Check out Kidde’s brand new collaboration with Peppa Pig to make fire safety a priority. Take the fire safety pledge to be a fire safety helper like Peppa, download the safety tool kit and watch fun fire safety videos with your kids and family. For more fire safety tips and education, visit www.kidde.com Sponsored by: Kidde