{"id":1277,"date":"2019-03-22T15:31:47","date_gmt":"2019-03-22T15:31:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/taylorsfirerescue.org\/wp\/?page_id=1277"},"modified":"2022-03-20T22:02:03","modified_gmt":"2022-03-20T22:02:03","slug":"fire-safety-and-elderly","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/taylorsfirerescue.org\/wp\/fire-safety\/fire-safety-and-elderly\/","title":{"rendered":"Fire Safety – Elderly"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Fire<\/p>\n

Knowing what to do in the event of a fire is particularly important for older adults. People 65 and older are twice as likely to be killed or injured by fires compared to the population at large. <\/span>Since the elderly population is growing every year, it is essential to take steps to stay safe.<\/span><\/div>\n


\nSafety tips:<\/span><\/h3>\n
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To increase fire safety for older adults, NFPA offers the following guidelines:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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  • Keep it low<\/strong>
    \n<\/span>If possible, consider sleeping in a room on the ground floor to make an emergency escape easier. Install smoke alarms in every sleeping room and outside any sleeping areas. Have a telephone installed where you sleep in case of emergency. Select an apartment or high-rise home, with an automatic sprinkler system. Sprinklers can extinguish a home fire in less time than it takes for the fire department to arrive.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  • Sound the alarm
    \n<\/strong>The majority of fatal fires occur when people are sleeping. This is because smoke can put you into a deeper sleep rather than waking you. It is important to have a mechanical early warning of a fire to ensure that you wake up. Install a smoke alarm that uses a flashing light or vibration if anyone in your household is deaf or hard of hearing<\/span><\/span>. This will better alert you to a fire emergency.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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    • \n
      Do the drill<\/strong>
      \nConduct your own, or take part 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, choose a member of the household to assist. Have a backup person in case the designee isn’t home. Fire drills are also an excellent opportunity to make sure that everyone can hear and respond to smoke alarms.<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n
    • \n
      Open up<\/strong>
      \nMake sure that you are able to open all doors and windows in your home. Locks and pins should open <\/span>easily<\/span><\/span> from the 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. This is so that they can open <\/span>easily<\/span><\/span>. This will enable you to open the window from inside in the event of a fire. Check to ensure that windows are not sealed with paint or nailed shut. If you cannot open a window, arrange for someone to break the seals all around your home or remove the nails.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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      • \n
        Stay connected<\/strong>
        \nKeep a telephone nearby, along with emergency phone numbers. You will want to communicate with emergency personnel if fire or smoke have you trapped in a room.<\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

         <\/p>\n