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Close the door on fire!  Pella  public awareness campaign helps save lives

PELLA, Iowa - Oct. 4, 2005 - Nearly 4,000 fire fatalities were reported in the United States in 2004, and most of those fatalities - 82 percent - occurred in homes. Despite those grim facts, only about 25 percent of families have developed and practiced a plan for exiting the home safely in case of a fire.

To help save lives, Pella Corporation's Close the door on fire! campaign provides consumers with vital safety information and fire prevention tips.

"Taking a few minutes each year to reduce fire hazards and plan and practice a home fire safety escape route can help you protect what's most important-your loved ones," said Kathy Krafka Harkema, Pella fire safety expert.

The top 10 steps to fire safety featured in Pella's Close the door on fire! program are:

1. Have a plan! Draw a floor plan of each level of your home. Download a grid from www.pella.com/resources/pdf/FireEscapeGrid.pdf. Pick a meeting place a safe distance outside your home for everyone to gather in the event of a fire.
2. Identify two exits! Designate two exits from every room in your home - a door and a window. Make sure doors and windows operate properly to ensure a quick exit; if not, consider replacing them for safety's sake.
3. Use smoke alarms! Install smoke alarms in or near every bedroom and on every level of your home. Test alarms monthly, change batteries regularly, and replace alarms every 10 years for greater safety.
4. Make a quick exit! Keep rooms neat and furniture and clutter away from windows and doors so you can get out quickly if necessary and to prevent falls.
5. Test the alarm! Sound the smoke alarms when family members are awake so everyone knows what they sound like.
6. Know the number! Make sure everyone in your household knows how to call the fire department in an emergency.
7. Give yourself an out! In the event of fire, choose the closest and safest exit route to get out quickly and stay out. Avoid going through smoke or flames if possible.
8. Stay low and go! To escape from a burning home, crawl out quickly on your hands and knees to help avoid smoke and fumes near the floor.
9. Once you're out, stay out! NEVER go back into a burning building. Stay safe. Go to your safe meeting place outside your home and call for help.
10. Practice! Practice your home fire escape plan with everyone in your home at least twice a year.

Pella's Close the door on fire! safety brochure includes additional tips on creating a home escape plan, establishing escape routes within the home, installing and maintaining smoke alarms, and practicing escape plans. The free brochure can be obtained by calling 866-829-9050. Additional information about home fire safety and the Close the door on fire! campaign can be found at www.pella.com/about/fire.asp.

Celebrating 80 years in business, Pella Corporation is recognized in the window and door industry for its technology and innovation, having earned more than 100 product and design patents. In addition to windows and patio doors, the company also manufactures entry door systems with the same level of quality and technology for which Pella is known worldwide. The company is represented by a Direct Sales Network operating Pella® Window & Door Stores nationwide, and select building materials retailers, including Lowe's, which features the Pella Design Center, a "store-within-a-store, designed to take the complexity out of window and door purchases. For more information, call 888-84-PELLA or visit www.pella.com .