The Official Allied Universal Fire Life Safety Training Blog

Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month was instituted in April 1997 to commemorate the birth month of Dr. James Parkinson, the first man to formally identify the disease in 1817. His piece, An Essay on the Shaking Palsy, remains one of the defining studies on the chronic, progressive condition that affects 7-10 million people, worldwide. The disease can be attributed to a variety of genetic, environmental, and age-related factors. This year’s campaign theme is #KeyToPD, which stresses that awareness is key toward working on a world without Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson’s Awareness Day is April 30.  Read the rest of this entry »

Distracted driving puts everyone on the road at risk.

(Part 2 of a 2-Part Series)

Americans drive 3.2 trillion miles per year. Over that same time period, U.S. consumers send 2.2 trillion text messages. The problem is that many people combine the mutually exclusive activities. The result is as deadly as it is dangerous. In our ongoing efforts to promote and share safety-related content, we began a two-part series about the dangers of distracted driving in honor of Distracted Driving Awareness Month. The series discusses the risks associated with this dangerous yet popular habit and offers tips to discourage the behavior. Click here to read part one. Read the rest of this entry »

Americans drive 3.2 trillion miles per year. Over that same time period, U.S. consumers send 2.2 trillion text messages. The problem is that many people combine the mutually exclusive activities. The result is as deadly as it is dangerous. In fact, distracted driving led to 3,477 deaths and 391,000 injuries last year.

To raise awareness about the consequences of texting and driving, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) devotes the month of April to Distracted Driving Awareness Month. The 2019 campaign slogan is: U Drive. U Text. U Pay. In our ongoing efforts to promote and share safety-related content,we begin a special two-part series about the dangers of distracted driving in recognition of the NHTSA campaign.   Read the rest of this entry »

Advancements in automated technology delivers everything from smart phones and houses to smart cars. Boasting rearview cameras, Bluetooth^TMand more, new vehicles do everything short of steering themselves. What’s more, many new autos use small pieces of hardware – key fobs – containing built-in authentication which locks and grants access to vehicles with the press of a button or proximity to door handle. While these entry methods ease locking and unlocking vehicles, they could also lock out owners and provide unauthorized access. Read the rest of this entry »

People in the United States are living longer than ever before. The upside to longer lives is better medical care and quality of life. The downside to longevity is the emergence of several age-related medical conditions, many of which impact eyesight. Consider these stats compiled by the National Eye Institute (NEI):

• Eye diseases and vision loss have emerged as major public health concerns.
• Currently, 2 million Americans ages 40 and older are visually impaired.
• By 2030, when the last Baby Boomers turn 65, this number is projected to reach 7.2 million, with 5 million experiencing low vision.

Read the rest of this entry »

In Santa Ana, California, corporate headquarters for the Allied Universal Fire Life Safety Training System, heavy rains have fallen. Winds have gusted. Mud has slid. And temps have dipped below freezing. To Southern Californians, this weather feels extreme. In contrast, those who live in the Midwest and East Coast are facing frigid temps on an entirely different level. In fact, at least 21 people have died as a result of bitter Arctic weather known as the Polar Vortex. This weather takes cold to the ultimate extreme. Read the rest of this entry »

The 2019 flu season is well underway. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) estimates that six to seven million people have suffered one strain of influenza or another already this season. What’s more, the CDC puts the number of flu-related hospitalizations, nationwide, between 69,000 and 84,000 people. With flu activity expected to continue in the coming weeks and months, we are focusing this week’s blog post on the preemptive measures you can take to stay healthy and avoid this unwelcome harbinger of winter. Read the rest of this entry »

Studies show that individuals waste up to an hour each day searching for misplaced items. But disorganization sucks more than just valuable time if disaster strikes. When chaos breaks loose, every second matters, leaving you with precious little time to search for important stuff. Organizing today will enable you quickly locate what you need at critical times, leading to more satisfactory outcomes during a crisis.

The Association of Professional Coordinators (APC) founded National Get Organized Month in 2005 in an effort to increase awareness about the significance of organization. As the leader in training commercial building tenants for fire safety and emergency certification, we use this month to focus on providing best practices and organization strategies that improve outcomes for tenants in the event of an emergency.  Read the rest of this entry »

If your holiday plans include travel, you aren’t alone. Auto Club reports that 54 million people travel between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. The most popular mode of transportation? Hitting the open road. But millions opt to fly the friendly skies. Whatever method you plan to use to get from Point A to Point B, make sure you take steps to be safe:  Read the rest of this entry »

Although Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2018 are over, the holiday shopping frenzy is far from done. In fact, Nielsen projects that seasonal sales will top $923 billion, with $106 billion in purchases expected to originate online. Unfortunately, holiday shopping breeds crime. In fact, a recent survey reveals that most scams and package theft, worldwide, occur during the period between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. So, how can you shut down the Grinch? Follow these tips for a safe holiday shopping season. Read the rest of this entry »