Fire Safety for

Older Adults

FA-221 | October 2018
Fire safety for older adults

At a glance

Your risk of dying in a 

home 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 the 

number one cause of 

home fires. 

Plan your escape around 

your abilities.
Fire Safety for Older Adults 1

As we grow older, our bodies change. Poor eyesight, loss of 

hearing, arthritis, dementia and side effects from medicine can 

make 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.
2

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 when 

materials 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.

ĵ Put working smoke alarms on every level of your home, 

inside bedrooms and outside sleeping areas. For the best 

protection, have interconnected smoke alarms. If one alarm 

sounds, they all sound.

ĵ Test your smoke alarms to make sure everyone in the home 

can hear them, even when they are asleep.

ĵ Test each alarm every month using the test button. 

ĵ Dust or vacuum your smoke alarms each year when you 

change the battery.
Fire Safety for Older Adults 3



ĵ If you have hearing loss, consider getting a notification 

device that produces low-frequency audible signals 

when the smoke alarm sounds.

ĵ If anyone in your home is deaf, install a smoke alarm 

that 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.

ĵ If you cannot hear the smoke alarm when you sleep, 

buy an alarm with special aid devices like a bright light 

or bed shaker.

ĵ If you have a sealed alarm, you do not need to change the 

battery each year.

ĵ Replace the entire smoke alarm every 10 years or sooner if 

it does not sound when you push the test button.

ĵ Put smoke alarms at least 10 feet from the stove or 

bathroom. Steam from the shower or smoke from cooking 

can set off the alarm.
4

Fire safety in the kitchen

Cooking fires are the number one cause of home fires. Many 

older adults also experience burn-related injuries during 

cooking. Prevent fires and burns by being watchful and alert 

when you cook.

ĵ Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, boiling 

or broiling food. If you leave the kitchen for even a short 

period of time, turn off the stove.

ĵ If you are simmering, baking, or roasting food, check it 

regularly. Remain in the home while food is cooking, and 

use a timer to remind you that you’re cooking.

ĵ Keep a pot lid nearby when you cook. If a fire starts in the 

pan, you can slide the lid over the pot and turn off the 

burner.

ĵ Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove so the pots 

will not be knocked off.

ĵ Clean your oven and stove top after each use.

ĵ Keep anything that can burn away from the stove top.
Fire Safety for Older Adults 5



ĵ Don’t cook if you are sleepy, have consumed alcohol, or 

have taken medicine or drugs that make you drowsy.

ĵ Wear short, close-fitting or tightly rolled sleeves while 

cooking. Loose clothing can catch fire if it touches a gas 

flame or an electric burner.

ĵ Check the kitchen after you finish cooking. Make sure the 

oven, burners and other appliances are off.

ĵ If a fire starts, stay calm and get out. Once out, call 911 

or the fire department from a cellphone or a neighbor’s 

telephone. Have an outside meeting place at a safe distance 

in front of your house where first responders can see you.
6

Heat your home safely

When it is cold outside, we heat our homes to stay healthy and 

warm; but heating equipment can also cause fires if not used 

correctly.

ĵ Keep children, pets and things that can burn at least 3 feet 

away from radiators, space heaters, fireplaces, wood stoves 

and furnaces.

ĵ Buy a space heater that has an automatic shut off in case 

it is tipped over.

ĵ Place space heaters on a level surface, but not on cabinets, 

tables or other furniture.

ĵ Have a qualified professional install heating equipment.

ĵ Ask a professional to inspect your heating system every year.

ĵ Never use an oven, stovetop or grill to heat your home.

ĵ Store propane and other heating fuels outside of your home.
Fire Safety for Older Adults 7



ĵ Make sure all fuel-burning equipment is safely vented to 

the outside to avoid carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.

ĵ Install CO alarms, especially if your home is heated by 

any source other than electricity.

ĵ Clean wood-burning fireplaces after each use. Put ashes in 

a metal container with a tight fitting lid. Place the container 

outside on concrete or gravel at least 3 feet from your home.

ĵ To prevent scalds, set the temperature of your water heater 

no higher than 120 F (49 C).
8

Practice electrical safety

Older homes are more likely to catch fire from electrical causes 

than newer homes. Older wiring may not have the capacity to 

safely handle newer appliances and equipment and may not 

have updated safety features.

ĵ Have a licensed electrician check your electrical system if 

you have frequent blown fuses or tripped circuit breakers.

ĵ Replace outlets if plugs do not fit snugly or if the outlet does 

not accept plugs with one blade larger than the other.

ĵ Avoid using extension cords. Have a licensed electrician 

determine if you need additional outlets installed.

ĵ Use light bulbs that match the recommended wattage on 

the lamp or light fixture.

ĵ Don’t overload electrical circuits. Tripping breakers or fuses 

usually means the circuit is overloaded.
Fire Safety for Older Adults 9



ĵ Check your electrical appliances often. Replace the 

appliance if the electrical cords are cracked, damaged 

or loose.

ĵ Major appliances (refrigerators, stoves, washers, dryers, 

etc.) should be plugged directly into a wall outlet.

ĵ 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. 
10

Candle safety

Candles are pretty to look at, but remember that a candle is 

an 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:

ĵ Only burn candles when you are in the room.

ĵ Use sturdy candleholders that will not tip over or burn.

ĵ Protect candle flames with glass chimneys or containers.

ĵ Keep candles at least 12 inches from anything that can burn.

ĵ Always use a flashlight — not a candle — for emergency 

lighting.
Fire Safety for Older Adults 11



ĵ Never light candles if you are tired and might fall asleep.

ĵ Never use candles in bedrooms.

ĵ Never use a candle where medical oxygen is being used.
12

Plan your escape

Planning 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 to 

escape safely after you hear a smoke alarm.

ĵ Know and practice two ways out of every room in your home.

ĵ Make sure all doors and windows that lead outside open 

easily.

ĵ Clear all clutter that may block your escape route or make 

you trip or fall.

ĵ Have an outside meeting place a safe distance in front of 

your home where first responders can see you.

ĵ Practice your home fire escape drill at least twice a year.

ĵ If you live in an apartment, use the stairs to escape, not the 

elevator.
Fire Safety for Older Adults 13



ĵ 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.

ĵ Keep eyeglasses, keys, hearing aids and a phone within 

reach next to your bed.
14

Fire safety if you or someone in 

your home smokes

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

and over. It is also the third leading cause of fire injuries for 

older adults.

ĵ If you smoke, smoke outside.

ĵ Use deep, sturdy ashtrays.

ĵ Make sure cigarette butts and ashes are completely cool 

before throwing them out. Put them in water or a can that 

is filled with sand.

ĵ Check furniture and places where people smoke before you 

leave your home or go to bed. 

ĵ 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.
Fire Safety for Older Adults 15



ĵ Never smoke if you are in bed, if you drink alcohol, or 

if you take medicine that makes you sleepy.

ĵ Never smoke where medical oxygen is used, even if it 

is turned off. 
16

What to do if you have a fire

ĵ Stay calm when the smoke alarm sounds. Get out fast and 

stay out. Never go back inside for people, pets or things.

ĵ 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.

ĵ Close doors as you leave to help stop the spread of the fire.

ĵ Smoke is poisonous. If you must escape through smoke, get 

low and go under the smoke to your exit.

ĵ If you can’t get out, keep the door of your room closed, and 

cover vents and cracks around doors with cloth or tape to 

keep smoke out.

ĵ 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 with 

a light-colored cloth or flashlight.
For more information about fire safety for older adults, 

please visit our website at www.usfa.fema.gov.

Search: Fire Safety for Older Adults

Your local fire department may be able to visit your home 

to install smoke alarms and answer your questions. Call the 

non-emergency number to ask for help.
U.S. Fire Administration

16825 South Seton Avenue

Emmitsburg, MD 21727

www.usfa.fema.gov