Home may be where the heart is, but it also is where the hazards are, according to a recent study by BRK Brands and The Lehigh Group - makers of the First Alert® brand and Crawford®-branded garage and home workshop organization products, respectively. The survey of 1,000 Americans revealed startling statistics indicating that many of us are at risk of incurring injuries and even fatalities in our own homes every day. As proud supporters of the nonprofit Home Safety Council (HSC), First Alert and Crawford are joining with HSC to recognize Home Safety Month in June and help spread the word about potential home hazards and safety tips for protecting loved ones.

The Home Safety Council research reports that Americans suffer nearly 21 million preventable household injuries each year.^

"Sadly, many home accidents might have been prevented with proper planning and simple safety precautions," said Deborah Hanson, director of external affairs for First Alert and The Lehigh Group.

Focusing on some of the most common household hazards, Hanson offers three easy ways to increase the level of safety at home:

Be Armed with Alarms

Installing smoke and CO alarms will immediately help improve the safety of your home and family. According to the Home Safety Council, alarms that detect smoke cut the risk of fire-related fatalities nearly in half.^^

Although the BRK/Lehigh survey revealed 95 percent of Americans have smoke alarms in their homes, the study also showed that one in 10 Americans have never changed the batteries. Further, more than half have dangerously silenced smoke detectors by removing batteries or removing entire units from walls or ceilings.

"After installing alarms, it is critical to check them regularly to make sure they are in good working condition," says Meri-K Appy, president of the Home Safety Council. "We advise homeowners to test alarms monthly and to install fresh batteries at least once a year. Also, if smoke alarms are more than 10 years old, replace them. Home Safety Month, in June, is a great reminder to test alarms and replace as needed."

The BRK/Lehigh study revealed even more alarming findings about Americans' use - or lack thereof - of CO alarms. Despite nearly daily media reports of deaths and injuries from CO poisoning, nearly half - 47 percent - of all U.S. homeowners do not have carbon monoxide alarms in their homes.

"Consumers are generally more aware of the dangers of home fires because fire is something they can see, feel and understand," explained Hanson. "Carbon monoxide is especially dangerous because it attacks without warning and can be deadly."

Known as "the silent killer," CO exposure is the number one cause of accidental poisoning in the U.S. The colorless, odorless gas can originate from anything that burns a fossil fuel - such as a gas furnace, stove, water heater, barbeque grill, wood-burning fireplace or car.

For the best protection smoke alarms and CO alarms (or a combination unit) should be installed on every level of the home (including the basement) and in every bedroom or sleeping area. For whole home protection, Hanson suggests interconnected alarms, which signal alarms through multiple alarm stations in the home if a threat is detected in a single room. This gives residents more time to react and get everyone to safety. First Alert's ONELINK™ wireless offerings provide consumers the protection of interconnected alarms without needing to call an electrician to install them in the home's electrical system.

Extinguish Fear (and Flames!)

Another home safety must-have, according to Hanson is a fire extinguisher, especially critical during the early stages of a fire. Still, more than a quarter (27 percent) of Americans report not owning a fire extinguisher, according to the BRK/Lehigh survey. And, more than one-third (36 percent) of those who do own a traditional home extinguisher say they would not feel "very confident" operating it should a fire ignite.

One easy-to-operate solution is First Alert AF400 TUNDRA Fire Suppressant. Effective on cooking oil, fabric, wood and electrical fires, this 14-ounce point-and-spray can covers a wider surface area and provides users with more time to fight a fire than conventional fire extinguishers.

Get a Grip on Garage Dangers

When it comes to home safety, one of the most often overlooked areas of the home also is one of the most dangerous. Each year, the garage is the site of thousands of unintentional injuries ranging from punctures and poisoning to fatal falls. According to the BRK/Lehigh survey, nearly four in 10 (39 percent) Americans have tripped over an item in their cluttered garage; more than a quarter (27 percent) have hit an object when opening a vehicle door; and 22 percent have accidentally hit or run over something when parking.

Hanson suggests giving your garage a quick safety makeover with these tips courtesy of the Home Safety Council:

• Store shovels, rakes, lawn chairs, gardening tools, bikes and other sharp and large objects on the wall and out of high-traffic areas.
• Store ladders horizontally. This prevents tipping and discourages children from climbing on them.
• Make sure poisonous products have child-resistant caps, are clearly labeled and are stored out of sight and reach of children.
• Keep floors and steps clear of clutter and immediately clean up grease and spills.
• Mount a fire extinguisher and an emergency preparedness kit in the garage and make sure every family member knows where they are and how to use them.

For home safety tips, visit http://www.firstalert.com or http://www.homesafetycouncil.org.

*Results of the "Home Safety and Security Survey" conducted by BRK Brands and The Lehigh Group are based on the responses of 1,000 adults in the United States who answered a telephone survey from Jan. 29 through Feb. 1, 2009. Results are accurate to +/-3 percent points with a 95 percent confidence level and can be generalized to the entire U.S. adult population.

^Statistics cited from The State of Home Safety in America™ 2004 Edition

^^Statistics cited from The ABCs of Home Safety 2009

About The Lehigh Group
The Lehigh Group is a worldwide supplier of diverse but related consumer products to the home improvements market under the brand names Crawford®, Lehigh®, Storehorse®, Ultra-Hold®, M&K Industries® and Leslie Locke®. It is the largest maker of rope, cord and twine in the country, and also the leader in innovative storage and organization products for the home and garage. Product offerings also extend to automotive tie downs, peg hooks and pegboard accessories, and the broadest line of clothesline and clothesline accessories in the market.

The Lehigh Group is owned by Lehigh Consumer Products, LLC, a fully owned subsidiary of Jarden Corporation (Rye, NY) NYSE:JAH, a leading provider of niche consumer products used in and around the home. For more information, visit http://www.lehighgroup.com or http://www.jarden.com.

BRK Brands, Inc. (Aurora, IL), is a fully owned subsidiary of Jarden Corporation (Rye, NY) NYSE:JAH, a leading provider of niche consumer products used in and around the home. For 50 years, BRK Brands, Inc. has been the manufacturer of First Alert®-branded home-safety products, the most trusted and recognized safety brands in America. BRK Brands designs and develops innovative safety solutions including Tundra Fire Extinguishing Spray, ONELINK wireless alarms and a comprehensive line of smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, fire extinguishers and escape ladders to protect what matters most. Such products are also marketed under the BRK Electronics® brand, The Professional Standard for the builder and contractor audiences. BRK Brands, Inc. products are found in more than 30 countries worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.firstalert.com, http://www.brkelectronics.com or http://www.jarden.com.

About the Home Safety Council
The Home Safety Council (HSC) is the only national nonprofit organization solely dedicated to preventing home related injuries. Through national programs, partnerships and the support of volunteers, HSC educates people of all ages to be safer in and around their homes. The Home Safety Council is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization headquartered in Washington, DC.