Firework Safety: What Your Family Needs to Know

July 4th is a time of celebrating the Nation's Independence with family, friends, food and fireworks. Some people spend the evening enjoying a community fireworks display, while others find the thrills of lighting fireworks on their own. Even though there are many restrictions in Kansas City and the surrounding areas, most of those restrictions don't include sparklers.

Thousands of sparklers will be placed into the hands of the smallest of children over the weekend. Most people don't realize that they are giving their kids a flame that is twice as hot as burning wood. Sparklers burn at 1200 degrees Fahrenheit, while wood burns at 600 degrees Fahrenheit. You can melt glass at 900 degrees Fahrenheit.

According to a 2010 Fireworks report by the National Fire Protection Association, the highest risk of firework injury were children and teens between the ages of 5-9 and 15-19. Additionally, in 2008, the highest source of firework related injuries reported were from sparklers, tying with small firecracker injuries at 21 percent.

Be safe this weekend. Talk to your children about the dangers of fireworks. If you use sparklers, light them away from you body and hold them out, not up. Attend a fireworks display sponsored by your community or other local organizations. The safest way to avoid danger is to let the professionals handle the heat.

For more information on firework statistics, as well as a graph showing sparkler heat, visit the NFPA web site.

Monitored Fire Protection - Why it is So Important

According to a new study by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), home fires account for 92 percent of fire deaths that occur in structures, causing an average of 2,840 civilian deaths each year.

Perhaps you are saying to yourself, "I already have a smoke alarm in my home and I test it regularly, so I'm okay."

It is true that all homes are required to come equipped with working smoke alarms. Many times electricians install these devices. So what is the difference between that and "monitored" fire protection?

Monitored fire protection means that the smoke alarms installed by an alarm company are connected to a security panel and contact the proper authorities when the device is tripped.

There are many benefits to having a monitored smoke alarm. One is that your home, valuable and pets are more protected while you are away. If a fire breaks out while you are at work, the fire department will be immediately notified. Another reason is that many insurance companies provide extra discounts of off your homeowners insurance if you have monitored security and fire in your home.

To read more on the benefits of monitored fire protection, visit the Atronic Alarms' web site.

Atronic Winner of Ingrams 2010 Best Companies to Work for in Kansas City

Atronic Alarms is proud to announce their most recent accomplishment as one of the businesses in Kansas City who won the 2010 Best Companies to Work For, sponsored by Ingram's Business Magazine.

Companies were chosen based on their management practices, training and development opportunities, pay and benefits, work environment, financial outlook and community service.

"Even though the economy has been tough, we have pulled together as a company to continue to provide excellence to our clients," said Todd Harrison, operation's manager. "Some days are tougher than others, but the staff we have, each one outstanding in his and her position, finds pride in this commitment."

Atronic was a winner in the Small Companies Category, and is featured in the June issue of Ingrams magazine.

"It was a great honor to be selected as one of the winners. There's no better way to say this to your team that "you're doing a great job," Harrison said.

Visit www.atronicalarms.com or www.ingramsonline.com for more information.