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For Immediate Release
Contact: Gary Gerdemann
(502) 736-3466
ggerdemann@perituspr.com
Louisville Bedding Company has invented a revolutionary new product designed to make mattress sets more flame resistant and help reduce deaths and injuries caused by home mattress fires.
The patent-pending FireDefender™ Sleep System, a two-piece flame resistant mattress pad and box spring cover set, is the first product of its kind on the market. Tests show that the The FireDefender™ Sleep System when used properly, protects mattress sets from igniting for up to 30 minutes, which may give families more time to escape and firefighters more time to contain the blaze. It was created as a cost-effective solution for consumers who wish to achieve a level of protection similar to that provided by mattress sets under the new Federal mattress safety standard that will take effect this summer.
Starting July 1, 2007, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) will require all mattress sets manufactured or imported in the United States to meet a strict flame resistant safety standard. The new standard aims to limit the spread and intensity of a mattress fire and delay the incidence of mattress flashover, which occurs when the entire contents of the mattress simultaneously ignite, accelerating the fire and making safe exit difficult. When fully implemented, the CPSC estimates the new standard will reduce mattress-related fire deaths by 78 percent, injuries by 84 percent, and save $295 million in property damage caused by home fires.
"The FireDefender™ Sleep System is an important addition to every home's fire safety equipment and a much more affordable way to make your existing mattress flame resistant," said Scott Walters, National Merchandising Manager for Louisville Bedding Company.
Louisville Bedding Company's patent pending FireDefender™ Sleep System, created with naturally flame resistant materials, provides the look and feel of a traditional quilted mattress cover. The custom built foundation cover provides a sleek, tailored look to an existing mattress foundation with added flame resistant protection. The fiberfill is reinforced with flame resistant threads at all critical seams.
According to Walters, "All of the FireDefender™ Sleep System components and finished products have been fully tested in independent laboratories." Designed to delay mattress flashover for up to 30 minutes, the FireDefender™ Sleep System offers consumers outstanding protection at a fraction of the cost of a new mattress set.
Every Second Counts: Every 80 seconds in the U.S., a home catches fire. According to published sources, last year alone, 396,000 homes caught fire, resulting in 3,055 deaths, 13,825 injuries and more than $6.9 billion in property loss. When a home fire starts, every second counts. Fires can spread quickly and rapidly, leaving you less than six minutes to get your family to safety. And, by the time your smoke detector sounds, your family may have as little as two minutes to escape to safety.
Bedrooms are the second most common location of home fire origin after the kitchen. Each year, 20,800 home fires are attributed to mattresses and bedding, causing 380 deaths and 2,220 injuries. Most mattress fires are started by children under five years old playing with matches and lighters. In fact, mattress fires are the leading cause of fire deaths among preschoolers. When a mattress fire starts, it takes just seconds for the flammable materials inside to ignite. In just three minutes, this highly flammable filling will cause the fire to reach what is known as "flashover" stage, engulfing an entire room in flames and making safe exit virtually impossible. Flashover is responsible for two thirds of all mattress fire fatalities, which total more than twice the fatalities from all other residential structure fires.
An Affordable Way to Upgrade Mattress Sets For far less than the cost of a new flame retardant mattress set, consumers can upgrade their existing mattress sets to achieve a level of safety similar to the new open flame standard.
The FireDefender™ Sleep System will retail from $120.00 - $200.00 and is manufactured in Twin, Full, Queen, King and California King sizes. The FireDefender™ Sleep System will be available in many fine retail stores where bedding is sold, including: LNT.com (Linens-N-Things), JCPenney.com, Boscov's, Gottschalks, Sears, Walmart.com and Amazon.com.
