Fighting Fire: Seniors Most at Risk for Fire-Related Death and Injury

Fire spreads fast. And the smoke can quickly overcome victims. If disabilities slow your mobility or you are taking medications that hinder reaction time, your chances of escaping and surviving a fire are greatly diminished.

For reasons like these, and others, senior citizens are at increased risk of dying or being injured in a fire. The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) says that, on average, home fires take the lives of about 1,100 Americans age 65 and over each year. Another 3,000 are injured in fire-related incidents.  USFA adds:

• People between 65 and 74 are nearly twice as likely to die in a home fire as the rest of the population
• The risk is nearly four times as great for people between 75 and 84, and more than five times greater for people 85 and older

Since many people 50 and over care for individuals in these high-risk groups and will soon be in these groups themselves, the USFA has launched the Fire Safety Campaign for People 50-Plus.

USFA, a division of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and part of the Department of Homeland Security, wants to educate and encourage Baby Boomers to adopt fire prevention practices before they reach the high-risk ages and to take steps now to lower the risk for elders in their care.

The campaign focuses on the following behaviors and practices:

• Cooking
• Smoking
• Home heating
• Prevention practices, such as installing and maintaining smoke alarms, adopting escape plans and installing home fire sprinklers

Cooking

The USFA reports that cooking accidents are the leading cause of fire-related injury among seniors. Often, kitchen fires result from distractions.  For instance, a window replacement salesman rings the doorbell, and you leave the kitchen. Or something comes on the television and you walk away, forgetting you have something on the stove. Before you know it, dinner is scorched … at the very least.  So, to put a twist on the music of Tammy Wynette, stand by your pan. That is, don’t leave cooking food unattended. If you have to leave the kitchen, turn off the stove and remove the pan.  Another tip the USFA suggests, if you are just stepping out of the room: take with you a potholder or utensil you have been using to prepare your meal—a visual reminder that you have unfinished business in the kitchen. 

Other kitchen and cooking-related tips:

• Keep cooking surfaces clean and clutter-free
• While cooking, do not wear loose clothing that could catch fire
• Always check the kitchen before going to bed or leaving the house
• If fire starts in a pan, cover it with a lid
• Do not throw water on a grease fire—it will just spread the blaze
• Do not use a range or stove to heat your home

Smoking

Unsafe use of cigarettes and cigars is the leading cause of death among older Americans. Here are a few tips to reduce the danger:

• Never walk away from a lit cigarette
• Do not smoke in bed or while sleepy or drowsy from medications or alcohol
• Use large, deep ashtrays that have wide lips
• Before going to bed, empty ashtrays into a toilet or metal container

Home Heating 

Heating equipment, particularly alternate heat sources such as wood stoves and electric space heaters, lead to many fires in seniors' homes. Faulty or inadequate wiring, more common in older homes, is another major contributor.

• Buy only space heaters evaluated by a nationally recognized laboratory, such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL). Use them according to the manufacturer’s directions and use only the recommended fuel
• Buy spaces heaters that are designed to automatically shut off when tipped over
• Keep electric space heaters out of bathrooms or away from other wet areas
• Don’t place items on top of space heaters
• Keep combustible materials at least three feet from all heat sources

Other Prevention Tips

Install and maintain a smoke alarm on each level of the home. Test batteries every month and change them at least once a year.

• Develop a fire escape plan – and practice it at least twice a year with the senior and everyone else in the house
• Keep escape routes free of clutter
• If possible, install residential fire sprinklers
• Keep a fire extinguisher handy