Disclaimer: This Inside South Florida segment is sponsored by Kidde. All opinions and views are of the advertiser and does not reflect the same of WSFL-TV.
Florida residents can save money on home safety products any time of year, thanks to a permanent sales tax holiday on certain home safety supplies.
Smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, and fire extinguishers are among the products that qualify for the tax exemption, meaning Floridians can purchase them without paying sales tax whenever they shop.
Stephanie Berzinski, a fire safety educator for Kidde, said being prepared before a home emergency is critical.
"It's always better to be prepared in the event of a home emergency, especially when it comes to home fires or carbon monoxide leaks."
Berzinski said the threat from house fires has grown more serious in recent years.
"According to the NFPA, you have two minutes or less now to safely escape a house fire. They are burning hotter and faster than ever before, and that's because of all the synthetic materials in our homes."
She also pointed to rising concerns about carbon monoxide exposure.
"According to public health data, we are seeing an increase in carbon monoxide poisonings, so it is crucial to have working smoke and CO alarms in your home to help prevent any catastrophes from taking place."
Before heading to the store, Berzinski recommended that shoppers take stock of what they already have at home.
"Don't be overwhelmed when you get to the store. Yes, there are a lot of different alarms that you can choose from. It will take a little bit of homework. Before you go take a look. Now see what type of alarm you have. Do you need hard wired? Do you need battery operated? Do you need smoke? Are you missing any CO things like that."
Berzinski said smart connected devices are among her top recommendations for households with pets or children who are home alone.
"These are alarms that connect to the app and will send you instant notifications while you're away from home of any smoke or CO that might be detected."
She also noted that some alarms now offer 24/7 professional monitoring services as an optional feature.
Shoppers can visit Kidde.com to browse the full product lineup and access fire and CO safety education resources for their families.
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