NYC Enacts New Requirements For Battery-Operated Smoke Alarms

AURORA, Ill., May 19, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Older New York City residences are about to get a much-needed safety upgrade, as a new law outlining smoke alarm requirements takes effect throughout the city.

As of April 1, 2014, Local Law 112 of New York City requires owners of multi-family dwellings to replace non-working, expired, battery-operated smoke alarms with alarms featuring sealed, 10-year batteries. The requirement does not apply to alarms that are hard-wired, or powered by the building's electric current.

Among the most affected housing will be older buildings built before 1982 that have not been updated since then, as they are currently exempt from building codes requiring hard-wired alarms in virtually all other housing. While owners of other housing will have to replace any supplemental, battery-operated alarms with sealed, 10-year battery models upon expiration, no hardwired alarms are affected by the law, and do not need to be replaced as a result of this law.

"Each year nearly 3,000 Americans die from home fires—the vast majority in homes where a working smoke alarm is absent or disabled," said Deborah Hanson, director of external affairs for First Alert. "For homes without hard-wired alarms, this law will help ensure that all New Yorkers have better protection against such avoidable tragedies."

According to Local Law 112, owners of multi-family dwellings such as apartments and condominiums are required to replace battery-operated smoke alarms when the alarms exceed the manufacturer's suggested useful life or expiration, generally 10 years. In addition to the 10-year sealed battery requirements, the law also states that replacement alarms must also emit an audible end-of-life signal notifying residents of its expiration.

First Alert's P910 series of smoke alarms complies with these new requirements. Featuring a 10-year, sealed lithium battery, these sleek, ultra-thin alarms also offer First Alert's breakthrough nuisance-free technology. In case of false alarms, a mute button will temporarily silence alarm activation.

First Alert/BRK Brands manufactures a comprehensive line of hard-wired smoke and combination smoke and carbon monoxide alarms to meet other building requirements not affected by Local Law 112.

Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg signed Int. No. 1111-2013 (Local Law 112) in late December 2013. For more information on New York City's smoke and carbon monoxide alarm requirements, visit http://www.nyc.gov/html/hpd/html/homeowners/carbon_monoxide.shtml.

For more information, visit www.firstalert.com or www.brkelectronics.com.

About BRK Brands, Inc.
BRK Brands, Inc. (Aurora, IL), is a fully owned subsidiary of Jarden Corporation (Rye, NY)NYSE:JAH, a leading provider of niche consumer products used in and around the home. For 50 years, BRK Brands, Inc. has been the manufacturer of First Alert®-branded home-safety products, the most trusted and recognized safety brand in America. BRK® Brands designs and develops innovative safety solutions including Tundra® Fire Extinguishing Spray, ONELINK® wireless alarms and a comprehensive line of smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, fire extinguishers and escape ladders to protect what matters most. Such products are also marketed under the BRK Electronics® brand, The Professional Standard for the builder and contractor audiences. BRK Brands, Inc. products are found in more than 30 countries worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.firstalert.com, http://www.brkelectronics.com or http://www.jarden.com.

About Jarden Corporation
Jarden Corporation is a leading provider of a diverse range of consumer products with a portfolio of over 120 trusted, quality brands sold globally. Jarden operates in three primary business segments through a number of well recognized brands, including: Outdoor Solutions: Abu Garcia®, AeroBed®, Berkley®, Campingaz® and Coleman®, ExOfficio®, Fenwick®, Gulp!®, Invicta®, K2®, Marker®, Marmot®, Mitchell®, PENN®, Rawlings®, Shakespeare®, Stearns®, Stren®, Trilene®, Volkl® and Zoot®; Consumer Solutions: Bionaire®, Breville®, Crock-Pot®, FoodSaver®, Health o meter®, Holmes®, Mr. Coffee®, Oster®, Patton®, Rival®, Seal-a-Meal®, Sunbeam®, VillaWare® and White Mountain®; and Branded Consumables: Ball®, Bee®, Bernardin®, Bicycle®, Billy Boy®, Crawford®, Diamond®, Dicon®, Fiona®, First Alert®, First Essentials®, Hoyle®, Kerr®, Lehigh®, Lifoam®, Lillo®, Loew Cornell®, Mapa®, NUK®, Pine Mountain®, Quickie®, Spontex®, Tigex® and Yankee Candle®. Headquartered in Florida, Jarden ranks #383 on the Fortune 500 and has over 30,000 employees worldwide. For further information about Jarden, please visit www.jarden.com.

©2014 BRK Brands, Inc., Aurora, IL 60504. All rights reserved.
First Alert^® is a registered trademark of The First Alert Trust, Aurora, IL 60504.
BRK Electronics^® is a registered trademark of BRK Brands, Inc., Aurora, IL 60504.
NYSE is a registered service mark of NYSE Group, Inc.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140516/88615

SOURCE First Alert