A Safe Way To Protect Valuables From Fire (NAPSA)—There’s good news for those who want to protect their family, valuables and home from fire damage. A few simple steps can help increase safety and prevent damageto property. Last year, public fire departments responded to nearly 1.5 million fires in the United States, according to estimates based on data the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) received from fire departments, that resulted in more than $15.5 billion in property damage. This includes property damage from California wildfires, estimated at $1.4 billion. Protecting against fire by properly preparing is key. Here are a few tips: Check smoke and carbon monoxide detectors regularly— and don’t forget to change the batteries, a habit that can savelives. Space heaters—remember to leave at least three feet of space around the heater and unplug whennotin use. Burning candles can be very dangerous if left unattended. Always extinguish them when leaving a room for the evening or before retiring for the night. Purchasing a fire-resistant security safe provides the security needed to protect your family. Fire-resistant safes, such as the SentrySafe Fire-Safeo with an electronic lock and UL rating, can be used to protect Social Security cards, insurance policies, passports, wills, bank account infor- mation, marriage license, birth certificates and the deed ortitle to a new homeorcar, as well as digi- tal assets and data, from fires and natural disasters. Research indicates thatthe primary reason consumers buy a safeis for fire protection. Experts say the key to buying a safe is understanding the specific threats you are trying to guard against. Based on research conducted by SentrySafe, the world’s leader in residential and small-office security storage containers, the primary reason consumers buy a safe is for fire protection. Additionally, when purchasing a safe, make sure it is third-party tested by companies such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL) or ETL SEMKO, which also specializes in electrical product safety testing. Established in 1896, the mission of the international nonprofit NFPAis to reduce the worldwide burden of fire and other hazards on the quality of life by providing and advocating consensus codes and standards, research, training and education. To learn more aboutfire safety, visit www.nfpa.org. To learn more about SentrySafe, visit www.sentry safe.com.
