'Sparky the Fire Dog' alerts children to smoke and flame

Canadian children can now be tucked safely into bed under the watchful eye of that lovable children's fire safety hero, Sparky the Fire Dog.

A new smoke alarm - made available in Canada for the first time ever this fall - features Sparky's familiar character and comes packaged with kid-friendly fire safety tips and activities. Statistics show that each year some 300 Canadians die as a result of fire, with approximately 10 per cent of those being children.

The new Sparky smoke alarm is designed to be placed inside a child's room to alert children directly to the danger of smoke or flame in the event of a fire. A glow-in-thedark sticker of Sparky, that provides dim illumination for up to six hours, adds to the product's child appeal.

The Sparky story began in 1951 as a memorable tale about a perky Dalmatian who alerted firefighters to a burning house. Today, some 55 years later, the image of Sparky the Fire Dog has become synonymous with helping children from Kindergarten to Grade 6 become aware of what to do in the event of fire.

The new Sparky smoke alarm, complete with the latest smoke detection technologies, is made available by Kidde Canada, a leading manufacturer of fire safety products.

"Sparky the Fire Dog has helped millions of children be better informed about what to do in the event of a fire through his image on activity books, clothing and other information materials," Carol Heller, executive in charge of new product innovations at Kidde, commented. "We believe that parents, grandparents and even aunts and uncles will enjoy introducing Sparky's character into a child's room to continue his fire safety legacy."

For more child fire safety tips are available at www.SafeAtHome.ca. At press time, Sparky the Fire Dog smoke alarms were available at Canadian retailers.

- News Canada