June 3, 2005—Although most people learn about fire safety at an early age and consider themselves prepared for an in-home fire emergency, that changes when they leave the familiar surroundings of home, a study by Xcaper finds.
Every day people travel to and from work with only one in four considering themselves prepared for a fire while in transit. However, according to a recent survey conducted by Xcaper Industries, the percentage of people involved in a fire emergency away from home (14 percent) is slightly higher than those at home (11 percent).
When traveling, 40 percent of women are not prepared for a fire in the place they are staying, compared to 29 percent of men. After experiencing an emergency, nearly half of the women learned their lesson and took precautions for the future, in comparison to the 38 percent of men. According to the respondents, they prepared by purchasing or creating special safety kits and investing in fire prevention equipment such as fire extinguishers and smoke alarms.
One such product is the Xcaper Smoke Mask, which uses patented moist filter technology that allows for easy breathing and can be used when leaving a smoke- filled area. The mask is effective for 30 minutes or longer depending on the conditions, the company says.
The survey was contracted by Xcaper Industries and conducted by Penn Schoen & Berland Associates, an international research company based in New York City. A total of 1,000 respondents participated in the survey, with a margin of error of the overall sample of +/- 3.1 percent at the 95 percent confidence level.
Xcaper Industries invented and manufactures the world’s only moist direct contact smoke mask. For more on the company, visit its Web site.
