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Guardian Safety Solutions Warns Workplace Cafeterias Can Be Dangerous to Your Health

Guardian Safety Solutions International 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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Cooking Can Be Hazardous to College Life: 72 Percent of Campus Fires Are Cooking Related

Some of the biggest parental fears sending kids off to college concern safety. While safety is a top priority, I suspect that many parents rank fear of kitchen fires well below safety concerns about drugs, alcohol, crime and other campus issues.  They shouldn’t.  In fact, dear parents, college fires should move up to the top of your list of concerns since 72 percent of college campus fires are cooking-related. Campus cooking fires cause more than $25 million in damages each year.

Besides rigorous college courses, there are so many demands on young adults’ attention in today’s busy world – texting, emails, friends visiting, the hectic start of college life and possibly alcohol consumption. It’s pretty easy for college kids to start to cook a meal and forget about it.  I’ve done it myself.  Next thing you know, a fire spreads from a stove or hot plate to curtains and other highly-flammable material in a dorm room.  Putting the fire out quickly is imperative to minimize injury to students and damage to the building and belongings.

Most college fires are due to lack of knowledge about fire safety and prevention.  So what can parents do to help minimize risks?  We work with state fire marshals and fire inspectors and others who spend years helping to educate others about the risks of cooking fires. Here’s some basic advice to discuss with your college students and the college administration.

  1. Make sure there are smoke detectors installed and that the batteries are fresh.
  2. Teach your kid how to use a fire extinguisher.  Before they leave for school, practice using one with your child and make sure there is at least one available in the cooking area at the dorm.
  3. Discuss escape routes when you deliver your college student to the dorm.
  4. Emphasize that leaving a building when a fire alarm goes off is imperative.  It could save your child’s life.  Emphasize that no property or memento is worth dying for.
  5. Learn to properly use and maintain stoves and cooking appliances.

It’s also a good idea to talk to the head of the cafeteria on campus and dorm manager about fire safety.  Make sure that they:

  • Install smoke alarms in every room and test weekly.
  • Inspect rooms and buildings for fire hazards regularly.
  • Make sure exit doors and windows are working properly.
  • Conduct fire drills and practice escape routes.
  • Get to know on-campus public safety personnel

An inexpensive way to prevent tragedies from cooking is to have the college install an automatic range top suppression system over each stove in dorm room cooking areas. They are designed to detect and extinguish cooking fires and at the same time prevent re-ignition. Installed sprinkler systems can also prevent deaths and injuries, as well as reduce millions of dollars in property damage.

College life is meant to be a wonderful beginning not a tragic end.  Take these steps to protect your precious children.  A few minutes of your time and attention will ensure a safe and fun college experience.

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Hotel and Motel Stays Can Be Deadly

Every year there are almost 4,000 hotel and motel fires reported to U.S. fire departments, resulting in $76 million in property loss, 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.

Since I started in the fire prevention business years ago, many positive changes have been made to make hotel and motel kitchens safer, but still fires do 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.”

 

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72% of College Campus Fires Are Cooking Related

(HealthNewsDigest.com) – Dallas – Some of the biggest parental fears sending kids off to college focus on safety issues. While safety is a top priority, fear of kitchen fires probably ranks well below safety concerns about drugs, alcohol, crime and other campus issues. Guardian Safety Solutions International (GSSI) (www.guardyourkitchen.com) says college fires should move up to the top of concerns since 72 percent of college campus fires are cooking related. Cooking fires cause more than $25 million in damages to college campuses each year.

Paul Rouse, GSSI’s administrative officer, says, “There are many distractions for young adults in today’s busy world – texting, emails, friends visiting – so they start to cook a meal and forget about it. Next thing you know, a fire starts consuming the stove, curtains and other flammable material in the kitchen.

“Preventing such tragedies is the core of our “Guardian Solution,’ or range top suppression system, which can be easily installed into new or retrofitted in older student housing,” said Rouse. “By simply installing the Guardian, colleges and universities, as well as apartment owners who cater to college kids, can rest easy knowing that potential cooking fires stand no chance in a Guardian protected kitchen.”

The Guardian is designed to detect and extinguish cooking fires and at the same time prevent 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 shut off the gas or electric supply to the stove in order to prevent reignition. The system offers:
• automatic operation
• continuous 24-hour protection
• concealed installation
• easy clean-up
“Putting the fire out quickly is imperative to minimize damage and injury to students,” Rouse said. “The Guardian system provides that speed and protection.”
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.

About GSSI
Protecting families worldwide since 1985, Guardian Safety Solutions International Inc. is the recognized leader in developing and manufacturing residential range top fire protection systems. GSSI’s mission is to offer quality safety products that provide customers with peace of mind, while protecting lives and property.

http://www.healthnewsdigest.com/news/Safety_310/72_of_College_Campus_Fires_Are_Cooking_Related.shtml

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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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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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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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Saving Older Adults from Cooking Fire Risks

Pick up the paper or turn on the news. About 45 house fires are reported every hour in the U.S., and 60 percent of apartment fires are started by cooking equipment. More than 12 million unintentional home cooking fires go unreported causing 640,000 injuries annually. It just takes minutes for a fire to start https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2FCgtlITUM.

Unfortunately, many fire injuries and deaths are among those over 50. As we age, poor hearing and vision, as well as health problems affecting mobility contribute to putting mature adults in the highest risk group for cooking fires. 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 the growing baby boomer populations is at higher risk because they generally fall asleep early and are more forgetful.

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 a wakeup call to not just those who live alone or with a spouse now that the kids have grown and moved out, but also for those in the senior housing industry, and the adult children who care for elderly parents. Developers spend millions building beautiful retirement communities with many amenities that cater to people over 50, but do not consider that distraction, forgetfulness and memory loss can pose significant dangers to the residents who cook. We increase cooking safety by requiring that all new senior housing requires, at the very least, a range top suppression system in both private apartments and community kitchens.

Further, with the recession and the concurrent reduction in fire fighter staff seen in cities big and small, it would be equally smart to stop fires before they start. States should require mandatory range top suppression equipment in new buildings or remodels just like sprinklers and earthquake shut-off valves are.

In the meantime, there are some safety precautions that boomers can take to prevent cooking fires:
Never leave cooking unattended. A serious fire can start in just seconds.
Keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen and practice using it.
Have a pot cover close by to put out a cooking fire quicklyWipe up spills from the stove which could catch fire.

  • Always wear short or tight-fitting sleeves when you cook.
  • Keep towels, pot holders and curtains away from flames.
  • Don’t overfill pans with grease or cooking oil.
  • Never use the range or oven to heat your home.
  • Double-check the kitchen before you go to bed or leave the house.
  • Never leave the kitchen to answer the door, grab the telephone, or change clothes while something is cooking without shutting the gas or electricity off.
    It is dangerous to cook while on certain prescription medications or drinking alcohol.

    I’m a boomer too, so I have a vested interest in safety for all of us.

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