5 Fire Safety Tips For Seniors

Knowing what to do in the event of a fire is particularly important for older adults. Seniors may be affected by health issues such as reduced mobility, poor eyesight and hearing. At age 65, people are twice as likely to be killed or injured by fires compared to the population at large. In fact, adults age 65 and older make up about 12 percent of the population. Therefore, it’s essential to take the necessary steps to keep seniors safe.

KEEP IT LOW

Whenever possible, consider sleeping in a room on the ground floor in order to make emergency escape easier. Make sure that smoke alarms are installed in every sleeping room and outside any sleeping areas. Have a telephone installed where you sleep in case of emergency. When looking for an apartment or high-rise home, look for one with an automatic sprinkler system. Sprinklers can extinguish a home fire in less time that it takes for the fire department to arrive.
SOUND THE ALARM

The majority of fatal fires occur when people are sleeping, and because smoke can put you into a deeper sleep rather than waking you, it´s important to have a mechanical early warning of a fire to ensure that you wake up. If anyone in your household is deaf or if your own hearing is diminished, consider installing a smoke alarm that uses a flashing light or vibration to alert you to a fire emergency.

View a list of product manufacturers at http://www.toptenreviews.com/home/articles/best-fire-alarm-systems-review/.

Note that DSCC does not endorse any particular fire alarm or fire protection system.
DO THE DRILL

Conduct your own, or participate in, regular fire drills to make sure you know what to do in the event of a home fire. If you or someone you live with cannot escape alone, designate a member of the household to assist, and decide on backups in case the designee isn’t home. Fire drills are also a good opportunity to make sure that everyone is able to hear and respond to smoke alarms.
OPEN UP

Make sure that you are able to open all doors and windows in your home. Locks and pins should open easily from inside. (Some apartment and high-rise buildings have windows designed not to open.) If you have security bars on doors or windows, they should have emergency release devices inside so that they can be opened easily. These devices won’t compromise your safety, but they will enable you to open the window from inside in the event of a fire. Check to be sure that windows haven’t been sealed shut with paint or nailed shut; if they have, arrange for someone to break the seals all around your home or remove the nails.
STAY CONNECTED

Keep a telephone nearby, along with emergency phone numbers so that you can communicate with emergency personnel if you’re trapped in your room by fire or smoke. Be sure to keep your glasses, hearing aid, cane or wheel chair close to your bed at night. If there is an emergency, you will be able to grab them quickly as you leave.

The author of this post is Lieutenant Neil Berkowitz of the Lisle-Woodridge Fire District. Lieutenant Berkowitz is a Public Education Officer who comes in contact with seniors every day and his work in the community is remarkable. We thank Neil and the Lisle-Woodridge Fire District for keeping the community safe and for their acts of heroism every day.