Great American Fire Drill, Pioneering Homebuilder Teaches Chattanooga's Youth How to Create Home Fire Escape Plan

Tennessee Public Fire Information Officer, in partnership with Johnny Walker Jr. Construction and PEARL Protected to teach students the importance of having a fire escape.

Atlanta, Georgia (PRWEB) October 10, 2007 -- Today, many of Chattanooga's children will join other students nationwide as they take part in the Great American Fire Drill. Several Girl Scouts from the Awahilia area of the Moccasin Bend Girl Scout Council will attend a fire safety seminar led by Fire Prevention Education Officer of the Tennessee State Fire Marshal's Office, Jeff Huddleston. The event will teach children how to create and practice a home fire escape plan. Sponsored by PEARL Protected®, creators of the patented Permanent Escape And Rescue Ladder (PEARL®) for two and three-story homes, the Great American Fire Drill will be hosted by Johnny Walker Jr. Construction in the Igou Gardens subdivision located at 3054 Igou Crossing Drive Chattanooga, TN 37421.

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), nearly 40 percent of Americans do not have a home fire escape plan and only 13 percent of those that do have a plan actually practice it. This is a grim reminder that many of the 15,000 deaths and injuries caused by house fires each year could be prevented with proper fire escape planning and the widespread availability of permanently-installed fire escape ladders in the home.

We see so many tragedies happen because people are trapped by fire in upper-story rooms. In most cases, people don't have a proper fire escape plan or an escape device that they can deploy quickly and easily. Permanent escape solutions help solve both of these issues - they provide an escape alternative that is easy to use and readily-available.

Jeff Huddleston, Fire Prevention Education Officer of the Tennessee State Fire Marshal's Office, is an avid supporter of permanent fire escape solutions: "We see so many tragedies happen because people are trapped by fire in upper-story rooms. In most cases, people don't have a proper fire escape plan or an escape device that they can deploy quickly and easily. Permanent escape solutions help solve both of these issues - they provide an escape alternative that is easy to use and readily-available."

To help reduce the staggering number of house fire-related deaths and injuries in Tennessee, Johnny Walker Jr. Construction recently became the first homebuilder in the state of Tennessee to feature the PEARL permanent escape ladder in its new two and three-story homes.

"In my 25 years of homebuilding experience, I've never seen a product that has so much potential to save lives. We're proud to be the first to offer this to Tennessee homebuyers and we hope other homeowners and builders will realize the significance of permanent escape solutions, "said Johnny Walker, Jr., owner of Johnny Walker Jr. Construction. "If they're available to homeowners, lives will inevitably be saved."

The Great American Fire Drill, which takes place during Fire Prevention Week, will educate kids about home fire safety while providing an opportunity for them to create their own home fire escape plans. The educational seminar will also introduce children to new fire safety innovations, like the PEARL permanent escape ladder. Each child will be given interactive materials like coloring books and stickers as a reminder to lead their own family's efforts to create a residential fire escape plan.

The company also invites children of all ages to submit a copy of their home fire escape plan as part of the Escape to Safety coloring contest. Contestants can download instructions and a fire escape plan template through the PEARL Protected website at www.pearlprotected.com.

Other Tennessee residents and homebuilders interested in installing the PEARL permanent escape ladder can contact Chattanooga-based Fire Safety Solutions, Inc. or call 877-909-0007.

The NFPA has observed Fire Prevention Week since 1922, making it the longest running public health and safety observance on record (Source: National Archives and Records Administration's Library Information Center). It was established to commemorate the tragic Great Chicago Fire of 1871 that killed more than 250 people and burned more than 2,000 acres. For more information and education tools for this year's campaign, visit www.nfpa.org.

Since PEARL's debut in October 2005, it has become one of the most recognized home safety products in the marketplace. PEARL has received the Home Safety Council's 2006 Product Innovation Award and has been featured on multiple episodes of ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. PEARL has been also been showcased on NBC's Today and CBS's The Early Show.

For more information about PEARL Protected, visit www.pearlprotected.com.

About PEARL Protected:
Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, PEARL Protected is redefining the standards of home and fire safety through its patented, breakthrough product - PEARL - a revolutionary Permanent Escape And Rescue Ladder that can be quickly and easily deployed in the event of a residential fire or other home emergency. It is currently available through a variety of channels, including homebuilders, building material dealers, security companies, remodelers and other maintenance specialists. PEARL can also be ordered directly through the PEARL Protected website (www.pearlprotected.com) or via phone at 800.374.5737.

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