National Fire Prevention Week

 

National Fire Prevention Week: October 6 – 13, 2013

 

Each year, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) sponsors National Fire Prevention Week during the first full week in October (Sunday to Sunday). National Fire Prevention Week was established to commemorate the Great Chicago Fire in 1871. That tragic conflagration killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 homeless, destroyed more than 17,400 structures and burned more than 2,000 acres. The fire began on October 8, but continued into and did most of its damage on October 9, 1871.

 

 

The first Presidential proclamation of National Fire Prevention Week was made in 1925 by President Calvin Coolidge. At the time, President Coolidge noted that in the previous year some 15,000 lives were lost to fire in the United States. He called the loss “startling” and in his proclamation stated: “This waste results from the conditions which justify a sense of shame and horror; for the greater part of it could and ought to be prevented.”

 

 

National Fire Prevention Week is a great time for seniors and their caregivers to consider the danger of accidental fire and ways to prevent fires from occurring, whether in their homes or at their senior-living residence. Each year, the NFPA develops a theme for National Fire Prevention Week. This year’s theme is: “Prevent Kitchen Fires”.

 

 

Ways to prevent kitchen fires at home or at a senior care facility:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Always pay attention to items cooking on the stove or in the oven
• If you leave the kitchen, even for a moment, turn the stove off. Don't leave cooking unattended
• When cooking, never approach an open flame while wearing loose clothing
• Use a timer to remind you of food in the oven, so it doesn’t burn and catch fire
• Move things that can burn, such as towels or napkins, at least 3 feet away from the stove
• Be sure to clean flammable oils and grease from the stove top
• Turn pot handles inward toward the back of the stove when cooking

 

Ways seniors can be fire-safe around the home in general:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• If you must smoke, never smoke in bed or near an oxygen source, gas stove, or other flammable object.

   

  The leading cause of residential fire deaths among older adults is careless smoking.
• Don't overload electrical outlets or extension cords
• Never use the oven to heat your home
• Properly maintain chimneys and space heaters
• Never leave matches or lighters out where grandchildren can get them
• Take special precaution if you are on medication that makes you drowsy
• Never leave candles burning when you turn in for the evening to go to sleep

 

 

 

 

National Fire Prevention Week is the perfect time to make sure you and your loved ones are prepared. 

 

 

During National Fire Prevention Week, take a moment to go over safety tips with the seniors in your life. Make sure they know where the exits are in their senior community. Talk it over with them so they know what to do if there is a fire. National Fire Prevention Week is also a great time to check smoke alarms, fire extinguishers, and carbon monoxide detectors. Make sure they work and replace batteries in the alarms to make sure they will work if they are needed. Below are some tips to survive a fire in a high-rise apartment building. These tips can also be used in smaller communities.

 

 

Ways seniors can survive a fire in a high-rise apartment building:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• When selecting a senior community, make sure there is a sprinkler system throughout the building
• BE PREPARED! Make sure you or your loved one knows the evacuation procedures and how to respond to an alarm
• BE PREPARED! Know where all exits and stairwells are. Make sure they are not locked.
• Never use the elevators during a fire unless directed by the fire department to do so.
• If a fire starts in your apartment, pull the fire alarm on the way out to notify your neighbors and the fire department
• During a fire, feel the door before exiting your room/apartment. If it is hot, use another way out.
• If an announce if made through the building's intercom system, listen carefully and follow the instructions.
• Go to the outside meeting place once you have exited the building.
• If you know of someone that is trapped in the building, call the fire department and let them know the location of the trapped person.

 

If you can not get out of your apartment:

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. Stuff wet towels around the door and vents to keep smoke out.
2. Call the fire department and tell them where you are trapped at.
3. Open a window slightly and wave a bright colored cloth out of it. This will signal the fire fighters.

 

Smoke detectors and fire extinguishers are not measures for preventing fire.

 

However, it’s extremely important to make sure every senior’s home has an extinguisher in the kitchen and a working smoke detector in every room in case of fire. Should all preventive measures fail the smoke alarm will provide an initial warning of fire and the extinguisher can douse the flames. Be sure your smoke alarms are properly working at all times.

 

 

 

 

 

Take a look around your home or that of your aging loved one to identify potential fire hazards. If you find a number of potentially dangerous situations, it may be time to consider a move to an independent living, assisted living, or continuing care community. To begin your search for the perfect home for you or your loved ones, visit the Alternatives for Seniors website or call a Senior Specialist at (888) WE-ASSIST (888-932-7747).

 

 

 

 

 

Blog Date: October 7, 2013

 

Writer: Ryan Allen