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(BPT) - Frying bacon, broiling marinated chicken, straining boiling pasta - what do they have in common? In the past, these activities could cause steam or smoke to set off the smoke alarm unnecessarily, causing stress and disruption when trying to get through family dinner prep in peace. To help limit nuisance alarms and protect what matters most, follow these safety tips.

* Ensure your home is properly equipped with updated technology. Having functioning alarms installed throughout your home is the first line of defense for fire prevention. First Alert recently introduced Precision Detection advanced sensing technology smoke alarms, which are designed and tested to provide early warning in the event of a home fire emergency, while also reducing nuisance alarms as the technology better differentiates non-threatening from threatening smoke.

* Never leave the stove or oven unattended. Always stay in the kitchen when cooking to keep an eye on the meal. If you must leave the room, assign watching duties to another member of the household.

* Keep children away from stove-tops and open flames. Create a boundary of 3 feet around all ovens or stoves being used. Avoid any accidents or fires by letting children know the stove is hot and that it is important to be alert. Also, make sure to keep any lighters and matches locked in a high cabinet to avoid starting a fire.

* Be mindful of cluttering cords. Electric mixers, coffee makers, and plate warmers can be an electrical fire hazard due to the amount of electricity running through the outlets. Also ensure cords are not dangling off the counter within arm's reach of children.

* Test your smoke alarms. Having working smoke alarms is the first line of defense. Roughly three out of five fire deaths happen in homes with either no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms. Fire spreads fast and working smoke alarms give you early warning so you can get outside quickly. Test your smoke alarms regularly to ensure they're in functioning condition and replace the batteries at least every 6 months. Smoke alarms don't last forever and need to be replaced at least every 10 years.

* Have a fire extinguisher on hand. If a fire does happen, make sure to have a fire extinguisher easily accessible in the kitchen - and know how to use it. Remember the acronym P.A.S.S. when operating. Pull the pin, aim at the base of the fire, squeeze the trigger and sweep from side to side.

To learn more about First Alert's Precision Detection alarms, or for additional fire safety tips, visit FirstAlert.com.

Why impatiens?

Beacon® Impatiens offer high resistance to impatiens downy mildew (IDM) disease, ensuring your garden remains healthy and flourishes over time. No more money spent replacing failing flowers. Plus, impatiens are self-cleaning plants that will continue to bloom profusely all season long!

Beacon® Impatiens are also a cost-effective choice because they offer continuous color while filling larger spaces and baskets. With the ability to grow up to 18 inches tall and spread 14 inches wide, they cover a lot of ground with minimal effort and expense.

Choosing budget-friendly impatiens isn't the only way to save on gardening. Use unexpected objects like upcycled containers to add a unique look to your garden without the added cost for flowerpots.

Fill your spaces with nonstop color

As the last days of summer slowly fade away, brighten up a shady porch with tons of color by planting seasonal orange-colored impatiens and other shade-loving plants. Impatiens Beacon® Orange, for example, offer a bright hue with green foliage for your fall garden décor. They look beautiful planted in rustic, decorative flower pots or barrels.

If you're looking forward to a full-shade garden of bright, beautiful blooms, you'll want to pair vibrant pinks and reds to make this space pop and come to life. Choose a variety like Impatiens Beacon® Otway Mixture, which features many vivid colors, including Lipstick, Rose and a future introduction to the Beacon® Impatiens family, Light Pink.

You can also celebrate the fall season by incorporating hay bales, pumpkins and gourds, bare branches and other flair to your containers. Placed at your doorway, this stunner can greet trick-or-treaters in October or welcome Thanksgiving guests.

Top impatiens gardening tips for a flourishing fall garden

You can nurture your impatiens to encourage growth and health through a few important steps. Impatiens make for excellent landscape, border and container plants. They prefer loose, moist and well-drained soil and do best in partial to deep shade.

The closer impatiens are, the taller they will grow, so space accordingly. For flower beds, plant 8 to 12 inches apart so the plants will stay low to the ground. If you want them to grow upright, you can plant them about 6 inches apart. If you're using them as ground cover, you can space them 10 to 12 inches apart. Once your impatiens are in the ground, they'll need at least 2 inches of water a week. If the flowers show a bit of wilt, no worries! A good, long soak will perk up plants in no time.

Embrace the color and affordable power of impatiens! To learn more about these bold, budget-friendly plants, visit BeaconImpatiens.com.

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