50+ Lifestyles

Fire Prevention Safety Tips

By Sonita Oldfield-Carlson
Evidence-Based Programs Coordinator
Milestone’s Area Agency on Aging

During October, National Fire Prevention Week is observed in commemoration of the anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, during which the city center was destroyed, more than 250 people killed, and more than 100,000 left homeless. The non-profit National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), has officially sponsored Fire Prevention Week since its inception, and has been instrumental in education efforts to keep the public informed about the importance of fire prevention since the first observances as early as 1922. In 1925, President Calvin Coolidge proclaimed Fire Prevention Week a national observance, making it the longest-running public health observance in our country.

Knowing what to do in the event of a fire is particularly important for older adults. At age 65, people are twice as likely to be killed or injured by fires compared to the population at large. And with the number of seniors
growing every year, it’s essential to take the necessary steps to stay safe.

According to NFPA, cooking is the leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries in the United States. Almost half (44%) of reported home fires started in the kitchen. Two-thirds (66%) of home cooking fires start with the ignition of food or other cooking materials.

But cooking fires can be prevented, says the NFPA. This year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign works to educate everyone about simple but important actions they can take to keep themselves and those around them safe while cooking. Start by staying in the kitchen, using a timer, and avoiding distractions such as electronics or TV.

Here are some other key safety tips to keep from having a cooking fire:

• Never leave cooking food unattended. Stay in the kitchen while you are frying, grilling or broiling. If you have to leave, even for a short time, turn off the stove.
• If you are simmering, baking, roasting, or boiling food, check it regularly, remain in the home while food is cooking, and use a timer to remind you that you’re cooking.
• You have to be alert when cooking. You won’t be alert if you are sleepy, have taken medicine or drugs, or consumed alcohol that makes you drowsy.
• Be prepared: Always keep an oven mitt and pan lid nearby when you’re cooking. If a small grease fire starts, slide the lid over the pan to smother the flame. Turn off the burner, and leave the pan covered until it is completely cool.
• Have a “kid-free (or pet-free/family-free) zone” of at least 3 feet around the stove and areas where hot food or drink is prepared or carried.

In addition, smoke alarms can mean the difference between life and death in a fire. And, research shows that working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in a home fire in half.

• Install smoke alarms in every sleeping room, outside each separate sleeping area, and on every level of the home, including the basement.
• Test smoke alarms at least once a month using the test
  button.
• Make sure everyone in the home understands the sound of the smoke alarm and knows how to respond. 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.
• Join Milestones Area Agency on Aging in thanking our community’s fire departments and personnel for protecting us during Fire Prevention Week and throughout the year.

Sonita Oldfield-Carlson is Marketing and Public Relations Coordinator at Milestones Area Agency on Aging. She can be reached at (563) 484-3147.