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Posts Tagged ‘United States’

Members of the Munhall 4 Fire Company in front of 203 Engine and 203 Rescue after the memorial day parade, Main St, Munhall, PA

Thanks to Steve Norcup for the excellent picture!

(ARA) – Have government or manufacturer rebate programs enticed you to purchase a new home appliance, like a clothes washer or refrigerator? Or are you simply in the market to upgrade? Before purchasing any major appliance, it’s important to consider all your options before you make a final decision.

According to an October 2009 survey commissioned by Underwriters Laboratories (UL), a leading independent safety testing organization, one in five homeowners who are involved in purchasing decisions independently reported they are likely to buy a large household appliance in the new year. That number increased to one in four upon hearing that states may offer cash back for purchasing an energy-efficient appliance during 2010.

“As today’s appliance technology continues to advance, it is now, more than ever, critical to consider safety when purchasing these items,” says Ms. Simin Zhou, vice president and general manager, UL’s Appliances, HVAC/R and Components business unit. “Energy efficiency is an important attribute, but family safety also needs to be part of the decision-making process.” Read the rest of this entry »

(ARA) – Disasters can happen suddenly and without warning. When severe weather strikes, you want the comfort of knowing you’re ready for the worst.

As you make emergency plans – including storing essentials like water, food and other supplies – the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the American Red Cross encourage you to make certain your money is disaster-ready, too. If you receive a Social Security payment by paper check, consider switching to direct deposit.

Safer, more reliable

Direct deposit is the safest, most reliable way to receive a federal benefit payment.

“Nine times out of 10, when there is a problem with a Social Security payment, it is with a paper check, not a direct deposit payment,” says David A. Lebryk, commissioner of the Treasury Department’s Financial Management Service.

Eight in 10 Americans say direct deposit is more reliable in the event of a disaster, according to Treasury Department research. Yet, about 10.5 million senior citizens, people with disabilities and others still get their Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments by paper check each month – opening themselves up to delays and other check-related problems. Read the rest of this entry »

(ARA) – If you’re planning on building a new home after this year, you should also be planning on installing a fire sprinkler system. That’s because recent national code changes require that new single-family homes built after Jan. 1, 2011, have sprinklers, although every state has the option to adopt the code on its own timeline, so it’s important to check your local code for the effective date in your area.

The reason for the code change is obvious. Fire sprinkler systems have been proven to save lives. Thousands of people – many of whom are children or seniors – die each year in fires that quickly spread in homes without fire sprinklers. Smoke detectors alone, while certainly an important first step, do not provide added time for you and your family to escape. Read the rest of this entry »