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Saving Seniors from Cooking Fires

Pick up the paper or turn on the news. Why? Poor hearing and vision, as well as impaired mobility contribute to putting mature adults in the highest risk group for cooking fires. In addition to $7 billion in property damage per year in the U.S. alone, the National Fire Protection Association reports that 43 percent of people killed in cooking fires were asleep at the time. It’s easy to see that seniors who generally fall asleep early and are more forgetful can easily become a very sad statistic.

What’s more, the number of seniors is skyrocketing. According to US News, between 2000 and 2010, the number of people age 65 to 84 in the U.S. grew by 3.3 million, and the 40 million senior citizens in 2012 will balloon to 89 million by 2050.

This situation is a wakeup call to those in the senior housing industry, as well as to the adult children of the elderly. Developers spend millions building beautiful retirement communities with many amenities that cater to people over 55, but may not consider that distraction, forgetfulness and memory loss can pose significant dangers to residents who cook.

I am calling on AARP and other senior advocates to lobby congress to increase senior cooking safety by requiring that all new senior housing require, at the very least, an automatic range top fire suppression system in both private apartments and community kitchens.

Further, with the recession and concurrent reductions in firefighter staff seen nationwide, it is imperative to stop fires before they start. I encourage states to look at fire prevention, reduction and range-top suppression equipment and require that it be mandatory in new buildings just like sprinklers and earthquake shut-off valves are. In fact, 2013 offers an ideal opportunity for groups representing seniors to introduce legislation mandating such protections.

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Playing it safe at a hotel

Written in the LA Times

When my husband and I checked into the Dupont Plaza Hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico, nearly 30 years ago, he assessed it this way: “What a dump.” He was right. There were no smoke detectors and no sprinklers. We weren’t terribly concerned because we figured the odds of such a thing were low.

We were wrong.

Two weeks later, on Dec. 31, 1986, a fire at that hotel killed 97 people in 12 minutes. In the casino, gamblers burned to death, seated in their chairs. One hundred forty people were injured. The blaze, set by disgruntled hotel workers, is one of the most catastrophic in hotel history.

In 1990, Congress passed the Hotel and Motel Fire Safety Act “to save lives and protect property by promoting fire and life safety in hotels, motels and other places of public accommodation.” Now, U.S. guest rooms in hotels and motels must be equipped with hard-wired, single-station smoke detectors and an automatic sprinkler system, with a sprinkler head to comply with National Fire Protection Assn. standards.

Even with federal safety regulations, how do you know the hotel you’re checking into is safe from fire and from theft?

Hotel fires occur with greater frequency than many people realize, said Paul Rouse, chief administrative officer and fire safety expert at Guardian Safety Solutions International. To protect yourself, you must be prepared.

Rouse’s fire safety tips for travelers:

Be sure your hotel or motel is equipped with automatic sprinklers and fire alarms. This is especially important for trips outside the country, where strict U.S. standards may not apply.

Review the evacuation map posted on the back of your room door. If it is not posted, request one from the front desk.

Locate the exits nearest your room.

Count the number of doors between your room and the exits. This might help in case of an emergency evacuation.

Pack a small flashlight.

If there is a fire, feel your room door. If it’s hot, keep the door closed and seal it with wet towels. Call 911 and tell the operator which hotel room you are in; signal from your window.

Break the window if you have to.

Always use a stairwell and not an elevator.

Personal security expert Robert Siciliano and Mike Kelly, chief executive of On Call International (a company that helps travelers with emergency travel assistance), offer these general hotel safety tips:

When you’re checking in, if the desk clerk blurts out your room number so others can hear, quietly request a new room.
Ask for a room facing the street or overlooking a swimming pool or other activity areas. The likelihood of being easily spotted may deter someone from climbing in your window.

Have a bellhop take your bags to the room. Ask him to inspect the room before you enter, check under the beds, in the closets, in the shower, behind the curtains and anywhere else someone might be hiding. Check to be sure that all the locks are working properly.

If there is no bellhop, ask the manager to accompany you to your room. Or tell the desk to investigate immediately if you don’t call within five minutes.

Be suspicious of a call from the front desk just after checking in requesting verification of your credit card number, “because the imprint was unreadable.” A thief may have watched you enter the motel room and called from the guest phone in the lobby.

Whenever you’re in the room, secure the deadbolt and chain lock. Keep windows and balcony doors locked.

Portable travel locks, motion alarms, door braces, doorjambs and rubber wedges are available. Buy and use them. They cost less than $25 and ensure a safe night’s sleep.

Keep a closed-door policy.

Be sure the peephole works and use it to verify the identity of maids, room-service attendants or anyone else who knocks.

Do not open your hotel door for someone you don’t know. If you didn’t request towels or shampoo, communicate through the closed door.

Don’t open your hotel door to “room inspectors” who could swipe valuables as they pretend to check the quality of housekeeping.

Leave nothing of value in your hotel room when you’re gone. You’re deluding yourself if you think your laptop, the information on it, your jewelry, money, iPad or anything else is safe unattended in your hotel room.

It’s easy enough for a man in a three-piece suit to walk into your room while it is being cleaned, and say to the maid, “Excuse me, I just have to get something,” and to grab the suitcase with all your camera equipment.

When leaving your room for the day, keep your hotel key with you instead of at the front desk. Leave your Do Not Disturb sign on your door so others think it’s occupied.

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Guardian Safety Solutions Says Stay Safe From Cooking Fires During the Holidays

Guardian Safety Solutions International (GSSI) warns families that the holidays can be hazardous to their health.  About 45 house fires are reported every hour in the U.S., and 60 percent of apartment fires are started by cooking equipment. Sadly, children and the elderly make up the greatest national percentage of injury and death due to household fires.

“The holidays offer the opportunity for special meals with relatives, but answering the door to welcome guests can distract even the most savvy cook,” said Paul Rouse, GSSI administrative officer. “Alcohol during celebrations can also add to cooking inattentiveness.  Next thing you know, a fire starts consuming the stove, curtains and other flammable material in the kitchen.”  The popularity of turkey deep fryers has added another hazard to the celebration.  The cooking oil temperature is extremely hot.  Rouse said that they should be used as far from the house as possible.  “It’s important to note that not one turkey fryer has been certified as safe by Underwriters Laboratories,” Rouse added.

“Prevention is the core of our “Guardian Solution,’ or range top suppression system,” said Rouse.  “The time to protect yourself against a range top fire is before it strikes.  By simply installing the Guardian, property owners, residents and relatives can rest at ease knowing that potential cooking fires stand no chance in a Guardian protected kitchen.”  He added that kitchens can be retrofitted as well.
With the system, a fire can be extinguished in as little as seven seconds.

The Guardian is designed to detect and extinguish cooking fires and at the same time prevents re-ignition. Once it detects heat at a pre-determined temperature, a signal is sent to release the extinguishing agent to suppress the fire and to shut off the gas or electric supply to the stove in order to prevent reigniting.  The design of the system offers:

  • • automatic operation
  • • continuous 24-hour protection
  • • concealed installation
  • • easy clean-up
  • • proven reliability

“Whether it is a single home or an apartment at risk, putting the fire out quickly is imperative to minimize damage and injury to you and your family during the holidays,” Rouse said. “The Guardian system provides that speed and protection.”

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Guardian Safety Solutions Says More Cooking Fires Reported on Thanksgiving than Any Other Day

 Guardian Safety Solutions International (GSSI) experts estimate that more than 12 million unintentional cooking fires go unreported causing 640,000 injuries annually.  When a cooking fire starts in a workplace cafeteria, be it a college, business or a police station, putting the fire out quickly is imperative.

“Probably everyone knows someone who had a fire while cooking because these are mostly caused by inattentiveness or carelessness,” said Paul Rouse, GSSI administrative officer. “It could be cardboard from pizzas too close to the stove or a grease fire.  Next thing you know, it consumes the stove and other flammable material in the kitchen,” he adds.

In addition to the destruction of property estimated at $7 billion per year in the U.S. alone, the National Fire Protection Association reports that cooking causes almost half of fire fatalities each year.

“These statistics are the core of our “Guardian Solution,’ or range top suppression system,” said Rouse “The time to protect yourself against a range top fire is before it strikes.  By simply installing the Guardian, those in charge of workplace cafeterias can rest at ease knowing that potential cooking fires stand no chance in a Guardian protected kitchen.”  He added that kitchens can be retrofitted as well.

The Guardian is designed to detect and extinguish cooking fires and at the same time prevents re-ignition. Once it detects heat at a pre-determined temperature, a signal is sent to release the extinguishing agent to suppress the fire and to shut off the gas or electric supply to the stove in order to prevent reigniting.  The design of the system offers:

  • • automatic operation
  • • continuous 24-hour protection
  • • concealed installation
  • • easy clean-up
  • • proven reliability

“It is imperative to minimize damage and injury to employees,” Rouse said. “The Guardian system provides that speed and protection.”

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Safer, Better Fire Protection for Texas Public Assembly Locations

Some of you may remember Guardian Safety Solutions International, Inc. (GSSI), our Texas corporation, as Twenty First Century Fire Equipment, a name we proudly served under for more than 20 years. We changed the named in 2008 to reflect the growing number of fires and the solutions we provide.

The fire statistics are startling. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), cooking was involved in a reported 156,400 home fires in 2010. These fires caused 410 deaths, 5,310 injuries and almost $100 million in direct property damage. Those were reported fires, but it is estimated that more than 12 million unintentional home cooking fires go unreported and cause 640,000 injuries annually. As many as 60 percent of apartment fires are started by cooking equipment. More than 1,200 Americans over the age of 65 are dying and more than 3,000 are injured due to residential cooking fires each year.

While these statistics offer a glimpse into the “national problem” that exists today in the residential market place, GSSI has been successful in offering an alternative to commercial restaurant systems in order to protect small residential stoves in “public assembly areas” where the local authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) requires fire protection. For many years, we have joined with state organizations like FEDOT around the country to offer solutions to their members that address these types of installations. Currently, we have more than 500 distributors across the US, which are actively engaged in installing and maintaining the Guardian systems in their respective geographical area with tremendous success. Our distributors have found that with the support of their local AHJ, there are new markets that have opened up for them, which is an additional revenue stream in this tight economy.

We know that as well as generating revenue with sales of the Guardian systems, they have saved lives and millions of dollars in property damage. We have worked side by side with them installing Guardian systems in public assembly locations such as healthcare facilities, apartments, daycare centers, retirement communities, churches, home economic laboratories in schools and universities or any location where the AHJ can require it. But we have much work left to do.

In fact, the new NFPA Life Safety Code 101 now requires suppression systems to be installed in new healthcare facilities, including hospitals, nursing homes and limited care facilities where a residential stove is used. This is a major step forward and gives us all a lot more opportunity to save lives. It’s a good time to remember that with the recession and the concurrent reduction in fire fighter staffing seen in cities big and small, it is smart to encourage your customers to look at fire prevention, reduction and suppression as even more important.

We currently are distributing Op Ed pieces that I wrote to senior publications and the insurance industry reminding them of the huge apartment market where fires are reported on a daily basis and many more lives could be saved.

Another important consideration for all of us in the fire protection industry is that the number of seniors is skyrocketing. According to US News, between 2000 and 2010, the number of people age 65 to 84 in the U.S. grew by 3.3 million, and the 40 million senior citizens in 2012 will balloon to 89 million by 2050. This situation is a wakeup call to those in the senior housing industry, as well as to the adult children of the elderly. Developers spend millions building beautiful retirement communities with many amenities that cater to people over 55, but may not consider that distraction, forgetfulness and memory loss can pose significant dangers to residents who cook. This is another area where we can work diligently together with FEDOT to educate developers and others about suppression systems.

We at GSSI have been proud to work with FEDOT and others throughout the country to install fire suppression systems and save lives. We are eager to help you in any way we can.

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GSSI Offers Safety Tips For Travelers

Guardian Safety Solutions International (GSSI) says that every year there are almost 4,000 hotel and motel fires reported to U.S. fire departments, resulting in $76 million in property loss, this according to the U.S. Fire Administration. Almost 50 percent of these fires are started by cooking. Fortunately, they tend to stay small and confined. One of the most memorable and deadly fires was the MGM Hotel fire in Las Vegas in 1980 which killed 85 people and injured scores more.

According to Paul Rouse, GSSI administrative officer, “Many positive changes have been made over the years to make hotel and motel kitchens safer, but still fires do happen and are the core of our ‘Guardian Solution,’ or range top suppression system. He added, “By simply installing the Guardian, those in charge of workplace safety in hotels and motels can rest at ease knowing that potential cooking fires stand no chance in a Guardian protected kitchen.” He added that kitchens can be retrofitted as well.

Rouse offered 5 tips travelers can take to protect themselves:

Make sure that you confirm that the hotel or motel is equipped with automatic sprinklers and fire alarms before you travel – this is especially important for trips outside the country as the strict U.S. standards may not apply.
Pack a small flashlight.
Review the evacuation map posted on the floor where you are staying.
If there is a fire, always use a stairwell and not an elevator.
If there is a fire, feel the door of your room. If it is hot, keep it closed and seal it with wet towels. Call 911 and let the operator know which room in the hotel you are staying, and signal from your window. Break it if you have to.

The Guardian is designed to detect and extinguish cooking fires and at the same time prevents re-ignition. Once it detects heat at a pre-determined temperature, a signal is sent to release the extinguishing agent to suppress the fire and to shut off the gas or electric supply to the stove in order to prevent reigniting. The design of the system offers:

Automatic operation
Continuous 24-hour protection
Concealed installation
Easy clean-up
Proven reliability

“It is imperative to minimize damage and injury to travelers and employees alike,” Rouse said. “The Guardian system provides speed and protection.”

Original article from Firehouse.com

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Guardian SSI to Exhibit at Electronic Security Expo

Guardian Safety Solutions International Inc. (GSSI), the leader in the development and manufacturing of residential range top fire protection systems, will exhibit at the Electronic Security Expo 2012 (ESX), June 25-29, at the Nashville Convention Center (Booth #540). ESX is the only major national trade event focused purely on the needs of installation, integration and monitoring companies.
“We are excited to demonstrate our ‘Guardian Solution’ range top suppression system that protects against a range top fire before it strikes for the first time at ESX,” said Paul Rouse, Guardian SSI’s administrative officer. “Homeowners and facilities such as nursing homes, senior residences, college dorms, and hotel or motels can rest at ease knowing that potential cooking fires stand no chance in a kitchen protected by Guardian.” The Guardian is designed to detect and extinguish cooking fires and prevents re-ignition. Rouse added that kitchens can be retrofitted as well. GSSI manufactures the Guardian III Model G300B, UL and ULC listed with a fuel shut-off.
Once it detects heat at a pre-determined temperature, the Guardian sends a signal to release an extinguishing agent that suppresses the fire. Guardian will also shut off the gas or electric supply to the stove in order to prevent reigniting. The design of the system offers:

  • automatic operation
  • continuous 24-hour protection
  • concealed installation
  • easy clean-up
  • proven reliability

For more information, contact GSSI at 800-786-2178 or visit www.guardianssi.com. “Like” Guardian on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GuardianSSI and follow on Twitter @GuardianSSI.

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Guardian SSI to Exhibit at Florida Fire Equipment Distributors Association

Dallas based Guardian Safety Solutions International Inc. (GSSI), the leader in the development and manufacturing of residential range top fire protection systems, will exhibit at the Florida Fire Equipment Distributors Association (FFEDA) Annual Conference and Trade Show at the Doral Golf Resort & Spa in Miami, June 8 – 10. The FFEDA is a non-profit trade association consists of Florida’s fire equipment companies and manufacturers from throughout the United States.

“We are excited to demonstrate our ‘Guardian Solution,’ or range top suppression system that protects against a range top fire before it strikes,” said Paul Rouse, Guardian SSI’s administrative officer. “Homeowners and facilities such as nursing homes, senior residences, college dorms, and hotel or motels can rest at ease knowing that potential cooking fires stand no chance in a kitchen protected by Guardian.” He added that kitchens can be retrofitted as well. GSSI manufactures the Guardian III Model G300B, UL and ULC listed with a fuel shut-off.

The Guardian is designed to detect and extinguish cooking fires and prevents re-ignition. Once it detects heat at a pre-determined temperature, a signal is sent to release an extinguishing agent that suppresses the fire. Guardian will also shut off the gas or electric supply to the stove in order to prevent reigniting. The design of the system offers:

automatic operation
continuous 24-hour protection
concealed installation
easy clean-up
proven reliability

For more information, contact GSSI at 800-786-2178 or visit www.guardianssi.com. Visit on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GuardianSSI and on Twitter @GuardianSSI.

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Seniors at Highest Risk for Cooking Fires Warns Guardian SSI

Guardian Safety Solutions International (GSSI) experts estimate that more than 12 million unintentional home cooking fires go unreported.  More than 1,200 Americans over the age of 65 die and more than 3,000 are injured due to residential fires each year. Seniors are the highest risk group in North America.

“The fact that seniors are the highest risk group for cooking fires is a wake up call to those in the senior housing industry, as well as adult children of the elderly,” said Paul Rouse, GSSI administrative officer. “Builders spend millions building beautiful residences with many amenities that cater to people over 55 but may not consider that distraction, forgetfulness and memory loss can pose significant dangers to the residents.  The most important amenity that should be installed in every senior residence is a range top suppression system,” Rouse says.

In addition to the destruction of property estimated at $7 billion per year in the U.S. alone, the National Fire Protection Association reports that 43 percent of people who have died in cooking fires were asleep at the time.  “It’s easy to see that seniors who generally fall asleep earlier and are more forgetful can easily become a very sad statistic,’ said Rouse.

“This data is the core of our “Guardian Solution,’ or range top suppression system,” said Rouse “Guardian protects seniors against a range top fire before it strikes. Those who build senior housing can rest at ease knowing that potential cooking fires stand no chance in a kitchen protected by Guardian.” He added that kitchens can be retrofitted for Guardian as well.

The Guardian is designed to detect and extinguish cooking fires and at the same time prevents re-ignition. Once it detects heat at a pre-determined temperature, a signal is sent to release the extinguishing agent to suppress the fire and to shut off the gas or electric supply to the stove in order to prevent reigniting.  The design of the system offers:

  • • automatic operation
  • • continuous 24-hour protection
  • • concealed installation
  • • easy clean-up
  • • proven reliability

“Whether it is a senior resident or nursing home at risk, putting the fire out quickly is imperative to minimize damage and injury to our precious older population,” Rouse said. “The Guardian system provides that speed and protection.”

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Reducing Insurance Claims from Home Cooking Fires

According to the National Fire Protection Association, cooking was involved in a reported 156,400 home fires in 2010. These fires caused 410 deaths, 5,310 injuries and almost $100 million in direct property damage.

Yes, those were the reported fires, but it is estimated that more than 12 million unintentional home cooking fires go unreported and cause 640,000 injuries annually. As many as 45 house fires are reported every hour in the U.S., and 60 percent of apartment fires are started by cooking equipment.

Home owners and apartment dwellers are at most risk for fires because of inattentiveness. The phone rings, you answer an email, the baby cries. There are so many distractions in today’s busy world, it’s easy to start to cook a meal and then forget about it. Next thing you know, a fire starts on the stove and quickly spreads to curtains and other flammable material in the kitchen like curtains and dishcloths.

I have to admit that I am puzzled why the insurance industry has not aggressively promoted or required some method of preventing the $100 million spent annually on property damage. At the very least, apartment and condominium insurers should require new buildings to install some sort of automatic fire suppression system when the stoves are installed in a structure. These suppression systems can be retrofitted into existing kitchens as well.

With the recession and the concurrent reduction in fire fighter staffing seen in cities big and small, it is smart to encourage cities to look at fire prevention, reduction and suppression equipment and require that it be mandatory in new buildings just like sprinklers and earthquake shut-off valves are in many communities. Among the simplest of existing products available for residential use are range top fire suppression systems available from a number of national distributors. Surely it is cheaper to quickly snuff out a small fire before it grows to consume an entire building.

I’d like to suggest that 2013 is a great year for introducing legislation mandating such safety equipment in new buildings of any type with installed kitchens. The insurance industry is the most likely group to lobby for safety changes protecting lives and property, and I am willing to help.

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