Kidde Hosts Home Safety Forum in New York
The Cause For Alarm forum in New York City focused on home fire and carbon monoxide safety during Fire Prevention Month.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Philanthropy
Kidde, iHeartMedia, and The Home Depot held the Cause For Alarm Home Safety Forum at the iHeartMedia New York Headquarters on October 1, 2026. Kidde also announced a donation of more than $300,000 in smoke and CO alarms to the FDNY.
Why it matters
The forum was held to raise awareness of home fire and carbon monoxide safety during Fire Prevention Month. Its focus on detection gaps comes as many households lack basic protection against these hazards.
Kidde has donated more than $9 million in smoke and CO alarms to communities across North America over the past four years, and iHeartIMPACT gave $20,000 to the FDNY Foundation's educational efforts. The forum cited UL Standards & Engagement data showing 36% of U.S. adults have no means of detecting CO, while the scope of the FDNY alarm distribution beyond the $300,000 announcement is not specified.
The players
Kidde
Kidde is a fire safety products company known for its smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, which it has donated widely through the Cause For Alarm program.
FDNY
The New York City Fire Department is the city's primary fire and emergency medical response agency, serving one of the largest urban populations in the United States.
The details
Fire Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore spoke at the forum, and country singer-songwriter Noah Schnacky performed. The program, launched in 2022, brought fire and CO safety education to communities through local events at select The Home Depot stores, and Kidde donated alarms to local fire departments to provide to families in need.
Timeline
2022: The Cause For Alarm program launched.
October 1, 2026: The Cause For Alarm Home Safety Forum was held in New York City.
Philanthropy Context
The forum's emphasis on practiced escape plans follows the American Red Cross survey finding that only 26% of American families have developed and rehearsed one. Kidde's alarm donations extend that concern into a corporate giving model focused on detection hardware rather than education alone.
New York City residents without working smoke or CO alarms may benefit from the FDNY donation if distributed through local fire department channels. Families can check whether their alarms are current and whether their home has a practiced escape plan.
The takeaway
Owning working alarms is only part of protection; practicing a home fire escape plan closes a gap that most families still leave open. Checking alarm age and CO coverage is a simple step readers can take this week.
Further reading
Explore more Philanthropy coverage to see how corporations fund public safety initiatives.
More information
Find Cause For Alarm program information for details on the initiative.
Source note: This article includes information reported by La Opinión Digital.
