NY Office of Fire Prevention & Control to Join Firefighters Statewide to Promote New Law on February 20

ALBANY, NY (02/19/2010)(readMedia)-- Fire officials will be stationed at Lowe's stores across the state demonstrating how to install CO alarms.

Two days before Amanda's Law goes into effect, officials from the state Office of Fire Prevention and Control (OFPC) will join local firefighters and members of the NY Safe Kids Coalition at seven Lowe's stores in New York to demonstrate how to install carbon monoxide (CO) alarms an answer questions about CO and home fire safety.

Amanda's Law, effective Feb. 22, mandates that all residences in the state have carbon monoxide detectors. The provision is named for 16-year-old Amanda Hansen of West Seneca, N.Y., who died Jan. 17, 2009, due to a carbon monoxide leak from a defective boiler while she was sleeping over at a friend's house.

In addition to CO installation demonstrations, fire officials will have hands-on activities for kids and will be available to discuss important home fire safety issues such as escape planning, smoke alarms and cooking safety.

WHO: Officials from the state Office of Fire Prevention and Control

Local firefighters

Members of the NY Safe Kids Coalition

WHAT: Activities and information related to protecting families from carbon monoxide poisoning, including:

· A how-to clinic on how to install CO alarms

· Q&A about CO and home fire safety

· A "Build and Grow" event for kids, in which they build a wooden fire truck model

· Appearances by OFPC-trained fire dogs

WHEN: Saturday, Feb. 20, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

WHERE: Lowe's stores in seven locations –

· Albany: 1482 Central Avenue, 12205

· Binghamton (Vestal): 225 Sycamore Road, 13850

· Buffalo: 1659 Niagara Falls Boulevard, 14228

· Potsdam: 61 Country Lane, 13676

· Rochester: 2350 Marketplace Drive, 14623

· Syracuse: 131 Simon Drive, 13224

· Utica: 710 Horatio Street, 13502