| For Immediate Release November 16, 2007 |
Contact: |
Brett Brenner |
Holiday Statistics:
New Electrical Safety Survey shows how Consumers often put themselves at Risk
Arlington, VA. Just released by the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI), the results of a new survey which show a tremendous need to educate the public on safety during the holidays. The survey, conducted by ESFI, polled adults in both metropolitan and rural areas to better identify unsafe electrical practices in American homes. Unfortunately more than one-fifth of Americans consider their home's electrical system to be unsafe, said ESFI President Brett Brenner, but even more alarming is that 34% of all respondents do not agree with the statement that electrical products, if improperly used or operated, are a leading cause of household fires. With the holidays approaching, safety is often overlooked. Many people neglect to take basic steps to prevent home electrical fires. The survey showed that 78% of Americans use extension cords as a permanent power supply and not for the temporary use they are designed for and nearly a quarter (24%) of Americans have not replaced their smoke detector batteries within the last two years or do not know when they were last replaced. More importantly, more than one-fifth (23%) of Americans have only one or no smoke detectors in their homes. Smoke detectors should be tested monthly and installed outside each separate sleeping area and on each level of your house.