First Alert and Actor Taylor Kinney Raise Awareness of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning During Winter Months

Public safety campaign aims to spread awareness of CO through a series of PSAs

AURORA, Ill. (February 4, 2021) – This winter, the peak season for carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning, Taylor Kinney is teaming up with First Alert, the most trusted brand in fire safety*, to educate the public about the importance of CO safety through an informational public awareness campaign. The campaign aims to educate consumers on how best to protect themselves against the threats of CO by installing and maintaining working CO alarms in their homes.

Often called the “silent killer,” CO is an odorless, invisible and poisonous gas that is impossible to detect without an alarm. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), CO is the number one cause of accidental poisoning deaths in the U.S., with approximately 50,000 Americans visiting the emergency room each year due to accidental CO poisoning.

“After many years of playing a firefighter on TV, I’ve learned so much about whole home safety, and I can’t think of a better way to help educate the public about the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning than through my partnership with First Alert,” said Kinney. “While people are spending more time at home, it is more important than ever to install working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms throughout your home to protect what matters most.”

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This winter, the peak season for carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning, @TaylorKinney111 is teaming up with @FirstAlert to educate the public about the importance of CO safety through an informational public awareness campaign. Watch the series of PSAs here: FirstAlert.com. Tweet

CO can come from any fuel-burning device such as gas appliances, furnaces and water heaters. Because of home heating needs, the potential threat of accidental CO poisoning becomes greater in the winter. According to the CDC, more than two-fifths of CO exposure occurs between December and February, making this season a crucial time to share actionable home safety tips.

Through a series of public service announcements (PSAs), Kinney, together with First Alert, will be reminding consumers about the dangers of CO and how they can help to prevent CO poisoning in the home, including:

Install on every level, every bedroom. CO is responsible for an average of 450 deaths a year and alarms are the only way to detect this poisonous gas. According to the National Fire Protection Association, CO alarms should be installed on each level of the home, including the basement, and near every sleeping area.
Test, maintain and replace. After alarms are installed, the work isn’t done. Make sure to test your alarms regularly. If your CO alarm has replaceable batteries, they should be changed every six months. CO alarms don’t last forever and have a life span between five and 10 years, so remember to check the date on the back of each alarm.
Double-up on safety. For ultimate home safety, protect against the threats of smoke, fire and CO by installing combination alarms for 2-in-1 protection, such as the First Alert Combination Smoke and CO Alarm, which eliminates the need for battery replacements for a decade.
Know the symptoms. CO poisoning can be difficult to diagnose – often until it’s too late. The symptoms can be easily confused with those of the common cold or flu. Nausea, headaches, dizziness and weakness are all warning signs of this potentially deadly gas.
Never run generators indoors. In the case of a power outage, portable electric generators must be used outside only. Never use them inside the home, in a garage or in any confined area that can allow CO to collect. And, be careful to follow operating instructions closely.
Know whom to call. If a CO alarm sounds, leave the home immediately and call 911 once you’re outside.

“First Alert is excited to continue our partnership with Taylor Kinney to spread awareness about the dangers of carbon monoxide and the importance of whole home safety,” said Tarsila Wey, director of marketing for First Alert. “Through our educational series of PSAs, our number one goal is to protect homes and families.”

To learn more about this campaign and information about CO alarms, or to watch the series of PSAs, visit FirstAlert.com.

*First Alert Brand Trust Survey, February 2020 – Results are based on the responses of 1,000 adults, ages 25 and older, living in the United States who completed an online survey. Results are statistically significant at a 95 percent confidence level and can be generalized to the entire adult population in the United States within those statistical parameters. For more information or a copy of the complete survey results, contact Tim Young at LCWA: 312/565-4628 or [email protected].

About BRK Brands, Inc.
BRK Brands, Inc. (Aurora, IL), is a fully owned subsidiary of Newell Brands. For more than 60 years, BRK Brands, Inc. has been the manufacturer of First Alert^®-branded home-safety products, the most trusted and recognized safety brand in America. BRK^® Brands designs and develops innovative safety solutions including 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.newellbrands.com.

About Newell Brands
Newell Brands (NASDAQ: NWL) is a leading global consumer goods company with a strong portfolio of well-known brands, including Rubbermaid®, Paper Mate®, Sharpie®, Dymo®, EXPO®, Parker®, Elmer’s®, Coleman®, Marmot®, Oster®, Sunbeam®, FoodSaver®, Mr. Coffee®, Rubbermaid Commercial Products®, Graco®, Baby Jogger®, NUK®, Calphalon®, Contigo®, First Alert®, Mapa®, Spontex® and Yankee Candle®. Newell Brands is committed to enhancing the lives of consumers around the world with planet friendly, innovative and attractive products that create moments of joy and provide peace of mind.

Additional information about Newell Brands is available on the company’s website, www.newellbrands.com.

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Contacts: Brittni Olson or Claire Vartabedian
L.C. Williams & Associates
P: 312-565-3900 or 800-837-7123
[email protected] or [email protected]