How safe is your mattress?
Just a few months ago, we investigated the dangers of mattresses and told you how mattresses don't have to be resistant to open flame. But now, one manufacturer is leading the way to help you sleep easier.
Dion and Tammy Boucher never thought a mattress fire could spread so quickly, but the pictures tell the story. A faulty electrical cord ignited a mattress that nearly wiped out their home and their family.
Tammy:
I would have lost all three of my sons because it was a full bottom, twin top bunk bed set. All three of my sons would have been in it.
As Call For Action found out, current federal standards require mattresses to resist smoldering cigarettes, but not open flames.
Lyn Morris, Bureau Of Home:
If the mattress industry can make a better product, a safer product that will save lives, it's not going to cost much more and not going to be less comfortable, then why not have that protection?
But now there is, one mattress company offering a safer bed. And in 2 to 3 minutes, the regular mattress is engulfed in flames, but the protected mattress contains the fire.
Gordon Damant, Flammability Expert:
It's as important as life and death. As there being potentially injuries or no injuries. And it's certainly a dramatic improvement in terms of the potential for property damage.
Among national bedding manufacturers, Serta is the first with fire-resistant mattresses. It's new fireblocker technology contains the fire providing the critical time to escape.
Whitney Davis, Children's Coalition for Fire Safe Mattresses:
�Serta has broken away from this trend of indifference on the mattress industry's side. We commend them. We are pleased they've done what they've done, cause they're doing the right thing."
The consumer product safety commission is considering federal guidelines for open-flame resistant mattresses.
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