Fire Safety for
Older Adults
FA-221 | October 2018

Fire safety for older adults
At a glanceYour risk of d y ing in ahome fire is greater as you
get older.

Smoke alarms give you
extra time to escape.

Smoking is the leading
cause of home fire deaths
for adults 65 and over.

Cooking f ires are thenumber one cause ofhome fires.

Plan your escape aroundyour abilities.

As we grow older, our bodies change. Poor eyesight, loss ofhearing, arthritis, dementia and side effects from medicine canmake it more difficult to react to a fire. We need to consider
these changes and how they may affect our abilities.
In comparison to the population at large, starting at age 65,people are twice as likely to be killed or injured by fires.
This booklet is designed to help you learn about fire safety.

Fire Safety for Older Adults

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Smoke alarms

Every year in America nearly 2,000 people die in home fires.
Many of these people die in homes that do not have working
smoke alarms. Smoke alarms warn you and your family when
there is a fire.
Smoke is a deadly mix of particles and gas that is made whenmaterials are on fire. Smoke alarms warn you there is a fire
before you see, hear or smell it.
Smoke alarms give you extra time to escape.
ĵĵ Put working smoke alarms on every level of your home,
inside bedrooms and outside sleeping areas. For the bestprotection, have interconnected smoke alarms. If one alarmsounds, they all sound.
ĵĵ Test your smoke alarms to make sure everyone in the home
can hear them, even when they are asleep.
ĵĵ Test each alarm every month using the test button.
ĵĵ Dust or vacuum your smoke alarms each year when you
change the battery.

2ĵĵ If you have hearing loss, consider getting a notification
device that produces low-frequency audible signals
when the smoke alarm sounds.
ĵĵ If anyone in your home is deaf, install a smoke alarmthat uses a flashing light or vibration to let you know
there is a fire. You can also buy a pillow or bed shaker
that will turn on when the smoke alarm sounds.
ĵĵ If you cannot hear the smoke alarm when you sleep,
buy an alarm with special aid devices like a bright lightor bed shaker.
ĵĵ If you have a sealed alarm, you do not need to change thebattery each year.
ĵĵ Replace the entire smoke alarm every 10 years or sooner if
it does not sound when you push the test button.
ĵĵ Put smoke alarms at least 10 feet from the stove orbathroom. Steam from the shower or smoke from cooking
can set off the alarm.

Fire Safety for Older Adults

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Fire safety in the kitchen

Cooking fires are the number one cause of home fires. Manyolder adults also experience burn-related injuries duringcooking. Prevent fires and burns by being watchful and alert
when you cook.
ĵĵ Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, boilingor broiling food. If you leave the kitchen for even a shortperiod of time, turn off the stove.
ĵĵ If you are simmering, baking, or roasting food, check it
regularly. Remain in the home while food is cooking, anduse a timer to remind you that you’re cooking.
ĵĵ Keep a pot lid nearby when you cook. If a fire starts in thepan, you can slide the lid over the pot and turn off theburner.
ĵĵ Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove so the pots
will not be knocked off.
ĵĵ Clean your oven and stove top after each use.
ĵĵ Keep anything that can burn away from the stove top.

4ĵĵ Don’t cook if you are sleepy, have consumed alcohol, or
have taken medicine or drugs that make you drowsy.
ĵĵ Wear short, close-fitting or tightly rolled sleeves whilecooking. Loose clothing can catch fire if it touches a gas
flame or an electric burner.
ĵĵ Check the kitchen after you finish cooking. Make sure theoven, burners and other appliances are off.
ĵĵ If a fire starts, stay calm and get out. Once out, call 911
or the fire department from a cellphone or a neighbor’stelephone. Have an outside meeting place at a safe distancein front of your house where first responders can see you.

Fire Safety for Older Adults

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Heat your home safely

When it is cold outside, we heat our homes to stay healthy andwarm; but heating equipment can also cause fires if not usedcorrectly.
ĵĵ Keep children, pets and things that can burn at least 3 feetaway from radiators, space heaters, fireplaces, wood stovesand furnaces.
ĵĵ Buy a space heater that has an automatic shut off in case
it is tipped over.
ĵĵ Place space heaters on a level surface, but not on cabinets,tables or other furniture.
ĵĵ Have a qualified professional install heating equipment.
ĵĵ Ask a professional to inspect your heating system every year.
ĵĵ Never use an oven, stovetop or grill to heat your home.
ĵĵ Store propane and other heating fuels outside of your home.

6ĵĵ Make sure all fuel-burning equipment is safely vented tothe outside to avoid carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.
ĵĵ Install CO alarms, especially if your home is heated byany source other than electricity.
ĵĵ Clean wood-burning fireplaces after each use. Put ashes ina metal container with a tight fitting lid. Place the container
outside on concrete or gravel at least 3 feet from your home.
ĵĵ To prevent scalds, set the temperature of your water heaterno higher than 120 F (49 C).

Fire Safety for Older Adults

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Practice electrical safety

Older homes are more likely to catch fire from electrical causes
than newer homes. Older wiring may not have the capacity tosafely handle newer appliances and equipment and may nothave updated safety features.
ĵĵ Have a licensed electrician check your electrical system if
you have frequent blown fuses or tripped circuit breakers.
ĵĵ Replace outlets if plugs do not fit snugly or if the outlet does
not accept plugs with one blade larger than the other.
ĵĵ Avoid using extension cords. Have a licensed electrician
determine if you need additional outlets installed.
ĵĵ Use light bulbs that match the recommended wattage on
the lamp or light fixture.
ĵĵ Don’t overload electrical circuits. Tripping breakers or fuses
usually means the circuit is overloaded.

8ĵĵ Check your electrical appliances often. Replace theappliance if the electrical cords are cracked, damaged
or loose.
ĵĵ Major appliances (refrigerators, stoves, washers, dryers,etc.) should be plugged directly into a wall outlet.
ĵĵ Plug only one high-wattage appliance (refrigerator,stoves, washers, dryers, heaters, etc.) into an outlet at
a time, even if the outlet has space for two plugs.

Fire Safety for Older Adults

9Candle safety

Candles are pretty to look at, but remember that a candle isan open flame and can easily start a fire.
Consider using battery-operated flameless candles. They look,smell and feel like real candles but won’t cause a fire.
If you decide to use an open flame candle:
ĵĵ Only burn candles when you are in the room.
ĵĵ Use sturdy candleholders that will not tip over or burn.
ĵĵ Protect candle flames with glass chimneys or containers.
ĵĵ Keep candles at least 12 inches from anything that can burn.
ĵĵ Always use a flashlight — not a candle — for emergencylighting.

10ĵĵ Never light candles if you are tired and might fall asleep.
ĵĵ Never use candles in bedrooms.
ĵĵ Never use a candle where medical oxygen is being used.

Fire Safety for Older Adults

11Plan your escapePlanning what to do in case of fire can make the difference
between life and death. Practice how to get to your outside
meeting place quickly. In a fire, you may have only seconds toescape safely after you hear a smoke alarm.
ĵĵ Know and practice two ways out of every room in your home.
ĵĵ Make sure all doors and windows that lead outside open
easily.
ĵĵ Clear all clutter that may block your escape route or makeyou trip or fall.
ĵĵ Have an outside meeting place a safe distance in front of
your home where first responders can see you.
ĵĵ Practice your home fire escape drill at least twice a year.
ĵĵ If you live in an apartment, use the stairs to escape, not theelevator.

12ĵĵ Plan your escape around your abilities. If you use
a wheelchair or walker or if you may have problems
escaping from your home, plan ahead and let your fire
department, family, building manager or neighbors know.
ĵĵ Keep eyeglasses, keys, hearing aids and a phone withinreach next to your bed.

Fire Safety for Older Adults

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Fire safety if you or someone inyour home smokes

Smoking is the leading cause of home fire deaths for adults 65and over. It is also the third leading cause of fire injuries forolder adults.
ĵĵ If you smoke, smoke outside.
ĵĵ Use deep, sturdy ashtrays.
ĵĵ Make sure cigarette butts and ashes are completely cool
before throwing them out. Put them in water or a can thatis filled with sand.
ĵĵ Check furniture and places where people smoke before you
leave your home or go to bed.
ĵĵ Keep smoking materials, including lighters and cigarettes,
up high and out of the reach of children. Use child-safety
locks where you store your smoking materials.

14ĵĵ Never smoke if you are in bed, if you drink alcohol, or
if you take medicine that makes you sleepy.
ĵĵ Never smoke where medical oxygen is used, even if itis turned off.

Fire Safety for Older Adults

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What to do if you have a fireĵĵ Stay calm when the smoke alarm sounds. Get out fast andstay out. Never go back inside for people, pets or things.
ĵĵ Feel the doorknob and the cracks around a door before
opening. If you feel any heat, leave the door closed, and use
your second way out.
ĵĵ Close doors as you leave to help stop the spread of the fire.
ĵĵ Smoke is poisonous. If you must escape through smoke, get
low and go under the smoke to your exit.
ĵĵ If you can’t get out, keep the door of your room closed, andcover vents and cracks around doors with cloth or tape tokeep smoke out.
ĵĵ If you can’t get out and there is a phone in the room, call 911
or your local emergency number for your fire department.
Stay where you are, and signal for help at the window witha light-colored cloth or flashlight.

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For more information about fire safety for older adults,
please visit our website at www.usfa.fema.gov.
Search: Fire Safety for Older AdultsYour local fire department may be able to visit your home
to install smoke alarms and answer your questions. Call thenon-emergency number to ask for help.

U.S. Fire Administration
16825 South Seton Avenue
Emmitsburg, MD 21727
www.usfa.fema.gov