Fire Safe Seniors

Two-Hour Training Curriculum 

on Fire Safety Education

F A C I L I T A T O R ’ S G U I D E 

Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention 

National Center for Injury Prevention and Control 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 

Atlanta, Georgia 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction and Overview 1

Agenda 4

Session 1: Introduction to the Fire Safe Seniors Program 5

Session 2: Education about Fire Safety 11

Session 3: Next Steps, Training Closure, and Evaluation 27

Appendices

Appendix A: Handouts

Appendix B: Posttest and Answer Key

Appendix C: Evaluation Form

Appendix D: Training Preparation Checklists

Document References
IV
Two-Hour Training Curriculum on Fire Safety Education | Facilitator’s Guide 

1

Introduction and Overview

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) 

developed the Fire Safe Seniors Program to help reduce injuries and loss of life and property 

due to fire. The program consists of four components, including:

• home assessments,

• smoke alarm installations,

• education of seniors about fire safety, and

• follow-up to assess program effectiveness. 

Ideally, these activities are conducted in collaboration with your local fire department. 

This collaboration can take many forms, which are outlined in the Fire Safe Seniors 

Implementation Guide.

Intended Audience and Curriculum Length

This curriculum is intended for use by trainers who will be training their staff or volunteers 

to implement the education component of a fire safety program. 

This training curriculum is designed to be 2 hours long. A detailed agenda can be found at the 

end of this section. A maximum of 20 participants is recommended for this training in order 

to complete the sessions within the 2-hour time frame. 

Training Objectives 

By the end of this training, participants will have

• reviewed statistics related to older adults and fires,

• learned how to educate residents about fire safety, and

• discussed next steps for implementing the program.
2

How Each Session Is Structured 

The facilitator’s guide provides the following information for each session:

• context,

• objectives,

• materials needed,

• activities with recommended time allocations,

• training tips, and

• detailed instructions for facilitating each activity.

Within the detailed instructions for each activity, you will find text in italics. This text can 

be presented verbatim to the participants. When instructions for the facilitators fall within the 

verbatim text, they are presented in BOLD CAPITAL LETTERS. 

PowerPoint Slides

Each session of this guide is accompanied by PowerPoint slides, which should be printed out 

for the participants (three slides per page). The PowerPoint slides are on the CD-ROM that 

accompanies the curriculum. The session guides indicate whenever a slide should be used by 

saying “PowerPoint slide” in bold letters in parentheses [i.e., (PowerPoint slide)]. Several 

slides will need to be modified before the session to include information specific to your 

program. These modifications are indicated on the individual slides in the notes section. 

At the end of this curriculum are four appendices:

• Appendix A contains the agenda and other handouts related to the content of the sessions. 

• Appendix B contains the posttest and its answer key. This test was designed to assess the 

effectiveness of the training in increasing participants’ knowledge about various aspects 

of the Fire Safe Seniors Program. 

• Appendix C contains the training evaluation form, designed to assess the effectiveness of 

the training and your performance as a facilitator. The results will help you to improve 

future trainings. 

• Appendix D contains checklists with tasks that need to be completed before the training, 

the day of the training, and after the training. 

Fire Safe Seniors Tool Kit 
Two-Hour Training Curriculum on Fire Safety Education | Facilitator’s Guide 

3

Home Assessment Materials

• home assessment tool,

• fire department letter, and

• testing reminder stickers.

Education Materials

• education tool,

• flyer about smoke alarms and escape planning, and

• flyer about fire injury risk factors.

Optional Items

• emergency number card,

• phone sticker,

• refrigerator magnet,

• clipboard sticker, and

• pocket reminder card.

Materials Preparation and Logistics

Appendix D contains detailed instructions for preparing the training, including:

• logistical tasks to be completed, 

• materials and supplies needed, and

• how to assemble participants’ packets and handouts. 
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Fire Safe Seniors Tool Kit 

Fire Safe Seniors

Training on Fire Safety Education

AGENDA

Session 1: Introduction to the Fire Safe 

Seniors Program

9:30–10:45 a.m. Session 2: Education about Fire Safety

10:45–11:00 a.m. Session 3: Next Steps, Training Closure, 

and Evaluation 

9:00–9:30 a.m.
Two-Hour Training Curriculum on Fire Safety Education | Facilitator’s Guide 

5 SESSION1

30

minutes

total time Introduction to the 

Fire Safe Seniors Program

CONTEXT

This session introduces the Fire Safe Seniors Program, reviews relevant 

fire injury and death statistics among older adults, and defines the role of 

the trainees. 

OBJECTIVES

By the end of this session, participants will have

• introduced themselves to each other,

• reviewed the training objectives and agenda,

• discussed the Fire Safe Seniors project components and participants’ 

role in its implementation, 

• reviewed statistics about fire death and injuries among older 

adults, and

• discussed reasons why older adults are at greater risk of fire 

injury and death.

MATERIALS

Agenda written on flipchart paper

Laptop, LCD projector, and screen

PowerPoint presentation for Session 1

Participant packets, including the agenda and copies of the 

PowerPoint presentations for each session 

ACTIVITIES

Activity #1 Welcome and participant introductions 10 minutes

Activity #2 Training objectives and agenda 5 minutes

Activity #3 Program overview 5 minutes

Activity #4 Why older adults are at greater risk 10 minutes
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Fire Safe Seniors Tool Kit 

TRAINING TIPS

• By writing the day’s agenda on flipchart paper and posting it on the wall, you are able to 

continually refer to it throughout the day. This visible agenda helps to keep you and the 

participants on track and lets them see the progress being made toward achieving the 

training objectives.

• Establish ground rules, such as asking everyone to put their cell phones on vibrate and 

encouraging participants to ask questions as they think of them. Also, make sure to 

tell participants what the smoke alarm sounds like in the training facility and what the 

escape routes are in case of an emergency. 

• Do not spend too much time discussing the fire statistics. Concentrate on discussing 

the characteristics that make older adults more vulnerable to fire injury and death than 

younger adults and why your organization is uniquely positioned to reach this population. 

• Citations for the fire statistics are listed at the end of both training curricula, along with 

Web sites where the reports can be downloaded. Reviewing the reports before the training may be helpful in case participants have questions about the statistics. 

Activity #1: Welcome and Participant Introductions (10 min.)

(PowerPoint slide 3)

As participants come into the room, ask them to make nametags. When everyone is present, 

welcome participants to the training. Introduce yourself and then have participants introduce 

themselves by stating their 

• name;

• chapter, affiliate, or site; and

• role in the fire safety program.
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Two-Hour Training Curriculum on Fire Safety Education | Facilitator’s Guide 

SESSION1

Activity #2: Training Objectives and Agenda (5 min.)

(PowerPoint slide 4)

Pass out the participant packets containing the agenda and copies of the PowerPoint 

presentations for each session. Review the objectives for the training.

By the end of this training, participants will have

•	 reviewed statistics related to older adults and fires,

•	 learned how to educate seniors about fire safety, and

• discussed next steps for implementing the education.

Explain that the main purpose of the training is for the participants to learn how to educate older 

adults about fire safety. Ask participants to pull out the agenda included in their packets and 

briefly review it with them. Go over any ground rules and point out the location of restrooms. 

Activity #3: Program Overview (5 min.)

Present an overview of the Fire Safe Seniors Program objectives, target audiences, and 

activities. Explain how the training fits into the activities. 

(PowerPoint slide 5)

Fire Safe Seniors Overview 

The National Center for Injury Prevention and Control of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 

(CDC) and the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) developed the Fire Safe Seniors Program Tool Kit to help 

local, regional, and national organizations plan and implement successful smoke alarm installation and 

fire safety education programs for older adults in their communities. The goal of the Fire Safe Seniors

Program is to reduce injuries and loss of life and property due to fire and fire-related hazards.

(PowerPoint slide 6)

The Fire Safe Seniors Program consists of the following components:

1. home assessments to determine the need for smoke alarms,

2. free smoke alarm installation for eligible residents, 

3.	 education of older adults and/or their caretakers about fire safety, and

4.	 follow-up to assess program effectiveness.
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Fire Safe Seniors Tool Kit 

(PowerPoint slide 7)

To be eligible for free smoke alarms, residents must 

• be 65 years of age or older and

• live in a residential setting (e.g., house or apartment).

Older adults who are not eligible for alarms may still receive the educational component of the Fire Safe 

Seniors Program, with information about smoke alarms, fire prevention, and fire response.

This training is focused on the education component of the program. Therefore, the activities we will be 

doing today are designed to enhance your skills as educators, even if that is not your full-time job.

Activity # 4: Why Older Adults Are at Greater Risk (10 min.)

Present the statistics about fire injuries and deaths among older adults. 

(PowerPoint slide 8)

Fire Injury and Death Statistics 

• Fires are a leading cause of unintentional injury deaths in the United States.1

•	 More than half of fire deaths occur in homes without working smoke alarms including many where

smoke alarms are present but fail to operate due to missing, disconnected, or dead batteries.2 This statistic is why the Fire Safe Seniors Program is so important.

• Most victims of fire die from smoke or toxic gases and not from burns.3

 Smoke alarms give people more 

time to get out before inhaling smoke or gases.

• Home fire deaths are more likely to occur during the winter months.4

(PowerPoint slide 9)

Older adults are three times more likely to die in fires than younger adults and over two times more likely

to die in fires than children ages 1 to 4 years. The death rate for older adults increases with age. By the age

of 85, older adults have death rates four times the overall U.S. rate.

1

(PowerPoint slide 10)

Smoking is the leading cause of fire death among older adults. Cooking is the leading cause of fire injury

among older adults.5
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Two-Hour Training Curriculum on Fire Safety Education | Facilitator’s Guide 

SESSION1

(PowerPoint slide 11)

Risk factors that make older adults more vulnerable to fire injury than the general population include6,7: 

•	 living alone, which can make escaping from a fire difficult.

• having physical and mental impairments and disabilities, such as dementia or memory loss, which 

make escaping or calling for help difficult.

• having reduced sensory abilities, such as smell, touch, vision, and hearing. For example, reduced sense 

of smell can make smelling smoke difficult. Reduced sense of touch can make unlocking the door in case

of fire difficult. Reduced sense of vision can make seeing flames or getting out in case of fire difficult.

And reduced sense of hearing can make hearing smoke alarms difficult.

• using chemical substances, such as medicine and alcohol. These substances can make older adults 

drowsy, which increases their likelihood of causing fires if they are smoking in bed. Using substances

can also make waking up difficult if the smoke alarm goes off.

• living in substandard housing. Many older adults live in houses or buildings that, for example, may not 

be adequately heated (making the use of space heaters necessary) and that may have old gas stoves or 

old electrical wiring, all of which could pose a fire risk.

The challenge is that some older adults do not understand that their risks may have changed in relation 

to fires, or they may not want to acknowledge these changes. It’s our job to tactfully make them aware of

the fact that their risks have increased. 

(PowerPoint slide 12—Modify as needed.)

Many of these risk factors are shared by the people that [YOUR ORGANIZATION] serves, which make 

them at very high risk of fire injury and death. [YOUR ORGANIZATION] is uniquely positioned to 

prevent fire injuries and deaths among older adults for the following reasons:

• Our staff and volunteers enter the homes of older adults on a regular basis.

• Our staff and volunteers have developed trusting relationships with the older adults that we serve. 

This trust is crucial for conducting home assessments.

• Our organization is a known and trusted source of information for older adults. 
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Fire Safe Seniors Tool Kit 

Before closing the session, review again the components of the Fire Safe Seniors Program and 

the eligibility criteria for free smoke alarms.

The Fire Safe Seniors Program components are

• home assessments, 

• installation of free smoke alarms,

• education about fire safety, and 

• follow-up after smoke alarm installation.

To be eligible for free smoke alarms, residents must 

• be 65 years of age or older and

• live in a residential setting (e.g., house or apartment).
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Two-Hour Training Curriculum on Fire Safety Education | Facilitator’s Guide 

SESSION2

1

15 minutes

total time

Education about Fire Safety hour

CONTEXT

This session provides an overview of the education tool and materials. 

In this session, participants will have the opportunity to practice their 

educational skills through role plays. 

OBJECTIVES

By the end of this session, participants will have

• examined and tested a Fire Safe Seniors smoke alarm,

• learned how to use the fire safety education tool, 

• reviewed the leave-behind materials for residents, and

• role-played an education session. 

MATERIALS

PowerPoint presentation for Session 2

Flipchart and markers 

Fire Safe Seniors smoke alarms (one alarm for every 10 participants)

Removable sticky strips for attaching the smoke alarm to the ceiling

Fire safety education tool

Risk factor flyer 

Smoke alarm and escape planning flyer 

Other leave-behind materials your program is using (i.e., refrigerator 

magnets, emergency number card, meal stickers, etc.) 

Handout 2: Tips for Communicating with Older Adults 

Handout 3: Education Scenario
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Fire Safe Seniors Tool Kit 

ACTIVITIES

Activity #1 Review of session objectives 5 minutes

Activity #2 Review of education tool and materials 20 minutes

Activity #3 Smoke alarm examination and testing 10 minutes

Activity #4 Education role play 40 minutes

TRAINING TIPS

• Because the educators will not be doing home assessments themselves, they may 

not know the “smoke alarm status” of a given resident—in other words, whether the 

resident already has functioning alarms, will be getting Fire Safe Seniors smoke alarms, 

or is ineligible for alarms. They need this information, however, because it determines 

which smoke alarm messages the educators will present. Before the training, speak 

with the program coordinator to determine who the educators should contact in order 

to obtain this information prior to conducting education sessions. 

• Before the session starts, stick the smoke alarm(s) on the ceiling of the training room in 

a place where it will be easy for participants to test them. Test the alarms to ensure that 

the batteries are working. Then remove the alarms from their holders so that participants 

can examine them before the testing exercise (leave the holders attached to the ceiling). 

• Before the training, practice doing the role play by using the script that is presented 

in Activity #4. Ideally, you will be familiar enough with the script so that you can 

perform the role play without reading it. If that’s not possible, you can read it from 

the training manual. If you do not have a co-trainer to practice with, you can practice 

with colleagues, friends, or family members (ask them to play the resident while you 

play the educator).

• If you are the only facilitator, ask participants to play the resident while you play the 

educator (for demonstrating the role play). 

• Bring two chairs up to the front of the room so that participants can perform their role 

plays in front of the others. 

• Due to time constraints, not all participants will be able to do their role plays in front of 

the larger group. Therefore, observing actual education sessions after participants return 

to their communities is recommended. Ideally, the first time that the educator conducts 

an education session, the trainer should observe and provide constructive feedback 

about what worked well and what could have been improved.
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Two-Hour Training Curriculum on Fire Safety Education | Facilitator’s Guide 

SESSION2

Activity #1: Review of Session Objectives (5 min.) (PowerPoint slide 13)

(PowerPoint slide 14)

Introduce the session and review session objectives listed above. 

Activity #2: Review of Education Tool and Materials (20 min.) 

Provide an overview of the Fire Safe Seniors education component as follows: 

(PowerPoint slide 15)

• All older adult residents should receive education, regardless of whether they receive free smoke alarms. 

• The education may take place immediately following the home assessment or at another time. 

• The education tool guides the discussion. 

•	 Leave behind flyers and other materials with residents for them to refer to later.

• If the resident has a caregiver, this person should be present.

Refer participants to the fire safety education tool and leave-behind materials in their tool kit. 

Explain the tools and materials as follows: 

(PowerPoint slide 16)

The tool has three sections: 

• the top section, which contains information about the resident; 

• the discussion section, which includes a discussion opener, questions, messages, 

and a discussion closer; and

• a place to note the materials that you give out.

(PowerPoint slide 17)

Top section

This area is where you fill in the date and the resident’s name, date of birth, address, and phone number.

Then, fill in your name where it says “educator.”

(PowerPoint slide 18)

Educational Message Topics:

•	 The tool has five sets of messages. The first two sets of messages about smoke alarms and escape

planning should be discussed with all older adult residents. [READ MESSAGES OUT LOUD.] As 

you can see, there are different messages for residents who already have alarms or will get them 

soon and residents who do not have alarms and are not eligible to receive them. Before going to 

the home for the education session, you will need to find out whether or not the resident 

will be receiving any alarms. [SPECIFY WHO PARTICIPANTS SHOULD CONTACT TO GET 

THIS INFORMATION.]
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Fire Safe Seniors Tool Kit 

• The last three sets of messages are to be discussed only if the residents have these risk factors for fire

injury. These factors are related to smoking, cooking, and alternative heating sources like space heaters 

and fireplaces. The message about not smoking near oxygen tanks is particularly important, since many

older adults use them. [READ MESSAGES OUT LOUD.]

The following two tables contain the oral messages from the education tool. The rationale 

for certain alternative heating messages is provided in parentheses. You should explain the 

rationale to the training participants, but tell them that they do not need to give this extra 

information to residents unless they request further clarification. 

Messages for Discussion with All Older Adult Residents

SMOKE ALARMS (PowerPoint slide 19)

FOR RESIDENTS WHO ALREADY HAVE ALARMS OR WILL GET THEM SOON:

• Main message: Test smoke alarms every month; you can ask someone to test them

for you.

• Message #2: Never disable your smoke alarm. 

(PowerPoint slide 20)

FOR RESIDENTS WHO DO NOT HAVE ALARMS (AND ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO 

RECEIVE THEM):

• Main message: A smoke alarm warns you when it senses smoke in your home. Put smoke 

alarms in your home and test them each month.

ESCAPE PLANNING (PowerPoint slide 21)

• Main message: Identify two ways out of every room. 

• Message #2: Plan your escape around your abilities.

• Message #3: Keep a phone and emergency numbers to call for help near your bed 

or sleeping area.

• Message #4: If a fire starts, get out and stay out.

• Message #5: If you cannot get out, get as low to the ground as you can.
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Two-Hour Training Curriculum on Fire Safety Education | Facilitator’s Guide 

SESSION2

Messages for Discussion According to Risk Factors

SMOKING (PowerPoint slide 22)

• Main message: Never smoke when you are lying down, drowsy, or in bed.

• Message #2: Use large, deep, tip-resistant ashtrays, and place them on a flat surface.

• Message #3: Wet cigarette butts and ashes before emptying them into the trash.

• Message #4: Smoke outside, if possible.

• Message #5: Do not smoke near oxygen tanks.

COOKING (PowerPoint slide 23)

• Main message: Keep an eye on what you fry. Most cooking fires start when someone is 

frying food.

• Message #2: Wear short sleeves or roll them up so they don’t catch on fire.

• Message #3: Move things that can burn away from the stove.

SPACE HEATERS (PowerPoint slide 24)

• Main message: Keep the space heater 3 feet away from anything that can burn, 

including you.

• Message #2: Unplug heaters when you aren’t using them, including when you leave 

your home or go to bed.

• Message #3: Consider getting space heaters that automatically turn off if they tip over.

FIREPLACE, WOOD STOVE, OR COAL STOVE (PowerPoint slide 25)

• Main message: Have a professional clean and inspect your fireplace, wood stove, or coal

stove once a year.

• Message #2: Do not burn green wood, artificial logs, boxes, or trash. 

(RATIONALE: The high moisture content of green wood inhibits hot, clean burning 

and can cause the buildup of creosote—a flammable residue—in the chimney. Burning 

artificial logs can also cause creosote buildup. In addition, the wax from artificial logs 

can drip down into the fireplace and ignite a house fire. Burning trash is dangerous 

because the fire can release toxic gases. Also, trash can fly up the chimney, and trash 

burns very hotly, which can cause the fire to get out of control. You should not burn 

boxes because they can cause the fire to build up very fast inside the chimney.) 

• Message #3: Use a metal mesh fireplace screen to keep sparks inside. If your fireplace 

has glass doors, leave them open while burning a fire. 

(RATIONALE: If the doors are closed, air supply will be restricted, which causes creosote 

to build up in the chimney.)
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Fire Safe Seniors Tool Kit 

(PowerPoint slide 26)

• Each message topic has a main message, which is underlined, and additional messages. The main 

message is the most important message to get across. The other messages can be discussed with those 

residents who are able to absorb more information, but these messages should not be discussed with 

residents who have limited attention spans. You should judge how much information the resident 

can absorb.

• All messages should be said verbatim, just as they are written in the tool. The messages should 

not be paraphrased and should not be phrased as questions. 

(PowerPoint slide 27)

• The tool guides you through the message discussion. It is designed so that, in most cases, you discuss a 

maximum of three message topics. These messages would be smoke alarms, escape planning, and one of 

the risk factor messages. We limited the number of messages to discuss because many older adults may 

have limited attention spans. In these cases, three message topics would probably be the maximum that 

they could absorb.

• The tool also instructs you to check understanding after each topic. For example, ask the resident to 

summarize what was just discussed by saying, “Before we move on to the next topic, can you tell me in

your own words what we just discussed?”

•	 If residents are currently doing things that are putting them at risk of fire injury, do not scold them or

make them feel like they are doing something wrong. Be neutral in your comments and gently encourage them to change their behavior. For example, if someone smokes in bed, you could say, “I realize that

you enjoy smoking in bed, but the cigarette could easily start a fire if you fall asleep while it is still lit.

We recommend that you never smoke when you are lying down, drowsy, or in bed.”

• Some residents may be very alert and able to retain more information. In this case, the tool allows you 

to cover additional risk messages.

Let’s see how the tool works.

(PowerPoint slide 28)

• Step 1 is to open the discussion by requesting permission to do the education. You have a script for how 

to do this at the top of the education tool. [READ SCRIPT OUT LOUD.] 

(PowerPoint slide 29)

• Step 2 is to note all of the information on the top of the form. 

• Step 3 is to discuss the smoke alarm messages and demonstrate how to test any existing alarms. You 

will see that the way you introduce these messages is different for residents who already have alarms 

or will get them soon and those that don’t and are not eligible to receive them. [READ DIFFERENT 
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Two-Hour Training Curriculum on Fire Safety Education | Facilitator’s Guide 

SESSION2

INTRODUCTIONS.] Remember, if the resident has a limited attention span, you should discuss 

only the main message, which is the one that is underlined. After you have discussed the messages, 

demonstrate how to test the alarm.

(PowerPoint slide 30)

• Step 4 is to discuss the escape planning messages. 

• Step 5 is to ask the risk factor questions in the order that they are presented here. They are presented 

in a specific order because certain risk factors present more of a fire death risk than others. Remember,

if the resident has a limited attention span, you should discuss only the main message, which is the one 

that is underlined. 

• If the resident has a limited attention span, discuss only one risk factor message and then end the

visit. If the resident can absorb more information, you can discuss the other risk factor messages.

• Step 6 is to explain any materials that you are leaving behind. Show the resident each material and 

explain its purpose. Residents who do not have any of the fire risk factors should still receive a risk

factor flyer because they may have family members who have these risk factors. 

(PowerPoint slide 31)

• Step 7 is to note the quantities of educational materials you are leaving behind on the second page of 

the tool in the space at the bottom. 

• Step 8 is to ask if the resident has any questions. 

• Step 9 is to thank the resident for his or her time and end the visit.

Ask participants if they have any questions about how to use the tool. 

Leave-Behind Materials

Ask participants to look at the leave-behind materials in their packets and point out that they 

are all in both English and Spanish.

(PowerPoint slide 32)

• Flyers: Two flyers should be used by all Fire Safe Seniors sites and left with all residents. One focuses 

on smoke alarms and escape planning. The other focuses on fire risk factors, including smoking,

cooking, and space heaters. The flyers are in English on the front and Spanish on the back, and they

contain more detailed information than what you will discuss orally. 
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Fire Safe Seniors Tool Kit 

[NOTE: Only present the materials below if your program has decided to use them.]

• Emergency Number Card: This 8.5” x 11” sheet of paper can be posted next to the resident’s bed.

The card contains a message to call 911 in case of fire and spaces for additional emergency numbers.

• Phone Sticker: This 2” x 2” sticker can be placed on residents’ phones to help them remember

emergency phone numbers. 

• Refrigerator Magnet/Card: This card can be placed on residents’ refrigerators as a reminder for them

to check their smoke alarms. They can put a check mark in the box for each month after they check 

their alarms. 

Encourage educators to use these materials during the discussion to help residents retain 

information. For example: 

•	 The flyers contain photos to illustrate each of the main messages. When you discuss a main message,

you can point to the photo in the flyer.

• You can also use the other materials to illustrate messages. For example:

• Refer to the emergency number card (if your program is using it) when you talk about escape 

planning. Ask the resident which numbers should be on the card and offer to write them in for the 

resident if he or she cannot do it.

• Refer to the refrigerator magnet (if your program is using it) when you explain that smoke alarms 

should be tested every month. Offer to put the magnet on the refrigerator for the resident. 

•	 If a resident’s family member, home assistant, or other person is present during the education,

encourage them to read the materials with the resident after you leave. 

Materials for Staff and Volunteers

[NOTE: Only present the materials that your program has decided to use.]

(PowerPoint slide 33)

• Clipboard Sticker: You can put these stickers on the back to help you remember key educational messages. 

• Pocket Reminder Card: This card contains key educational messages. You can carry it with you in 

your purse or pocket.

Distribute Handout 2: Tips for Communicating with Older Adults. Explain that, even though 

many of the participants have a lot of experience working with older adults, they may find 

these tips to be a helpful reminder. Briefly read through the tips. 
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Two-Hour Training Curriculum on Fire Safety Education | Facilitator’s Guide 

SESSION2

Activity #3: Smoke Alarm Examination and Testing (10 min.)

If you haven’t already done so, attach the smoke alarms to the ceiling with removable sticky 

strips and ensure that the batteries are working. If possible, attach them to a section of the 

ceiling that is low enough so that the alarms can be tested by participants using only their 

hands. Then remove the alarms from their holders so that participants can examine them 

(leave the holders on the ceiling).

Explain that part of the fire safety education involves showing residents how the batteries of 

their smoke alarms can be tested. This education applies to residents who are receiving Fire 

Safe Seniors alarms and other residents who are not eligible for free alarms, but may have their 

own alarms. Residents should ask a friend or family member to test the alarms for them if the 

residents cannot easily reach the alarms using only their hands.

Show participants the smoke alarm and point out the testing button and the battery 

compartment; however, clarify that they should never need to open the battery compartment 

or change batteries—they should just know where it is in case one of the residents asks. 

All battery-operated smoke alarms have a low-battery warning device that emits a signal 

(a chirping or high-pitched sound) when the battery power is low. Tell participants that older 

adults may not know what this sound means, so educators should explain to residents that if 

the alarm “chirps,” they should ask someone to change the battery. They should also advise 

smoke alarm recipients to ask someone to test the alarms after being away from home for an 

extended period of time, because the warning signal will stop after a few days. 

Provide instructions for how to demonstrate the testing of smoke alarms: 

(PowerPoint slide 34)

• Before testing the alarm, tell the resident that the smoke alarm will make a loud sound if it is 

working properly. 

• Press the test button on the smoke alarm and check that the device beeps loudly, which indicates 

that it is working. You may need to keep the button pressed down for a few seconds before it beeps. 

• Be sure that you do not press the test button too hard, because it can break. 

Reattach the alarms to their holders on the ceiling and demonstrate how to test them. 

If time permits, have participants come up and practice doing it themselves. 
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Fire Safe Seniors Tool Kit 

Activity #4: Education Role Plays (40 min.)

This activity will help participants practice their educational skills and address any potential 

challenges they may encounter when conducting real-life educational sessions. Organize the 

role-play exercise as follows: 

(PowerPoint slide 35)

• Have participants divide into pairs and trios. Distribute Handout 3: Education Scenarios. 

Pairs should do Scenario #1 and trios should do Scenario #2.

• Explain that specific information has been revealed about the residents in the scenario so 

that the people role-playing the residents know how to respond to questions. For example, 

the first scenario says that Mr. Roberts does not smoke, but the educator will not know this

information when he or she arrives at Mr. Roberts’s house. Therefore, during the role play, 

the educator should ask Mr. Roberts whether he smokes. 

• Give the participants 10 minutes to practice the scenarios. Encourage them to use the 

education tool to conduct the discussion, and remind them that saying the key messages 

verbatim is important when they are speaking with residents.

• Show the PowerPoint slide with the first scenario. Ask for one pair to do their role play in 

front of the group (taking approximately 5 minutes). 

• Ask other participants what the educator did well and what could have been improved.

• Show the PowerPoint slide with the second scenario. As for one trio to do their role play in 

front of the group (taking approximately 5 minutes).

• Ask other participants what the educator did well and what could have been improved.

• By using the scripts below, demonstrate the correct way to conduct the education sessions. 

(PowerPoint slide 36)

Scenario #1: Mr. Roberts is 70 years of age and uses hearing aids. He will be getting three 

free smoke alarms from your program. He lives by himself in a small house, and his son comes 

to check on him once a day. He uses the stove to heat up soup and make oatmeal on the 

weekends. He also uses a wood stove to stay warm in the winter. He does not smoke, and he 

can get around the house by using a cane. He has a limited attention span. 

Script for demonstrating the role play

Educator: Good morning, Mr. Roberts. My name is , and I’m with [YOUR ORGANIZATION]. 

How are you today? 
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Two-Hour Training Curriculum on Fire Safety Education | Facilitator’s Guide 

SESSION2

Mr. Roberts: My arthritis is acting up, but, other than that, I’m doing real good. How ’bout you?

Educator: I am doing great, thanks. I am visiting you today because I would like to talk to you about fire

safety. Many older people are harmed each year because of home fires, but the good news is that fires are

preventable. If it’s okay with you, I’d like to spend a few minutes discussing how you can prevent fires and

what you can do in case of a fire. How does that sound?

Mr. Roberts: I’m sorry—I didn’t catch that last part.

Educator: [Moving a little closer and speaking directly to the resident.] I said that I’d liketo spend a

few minutes discussing how you can prevent fires and what you can do in case of a fire. How does that sound?

Mr. Roberts: Oh, that sounds good. I don’t get to talk to hardly anyone except my son, so I’m happy to

talk to you today. 

Educator: A few weeks ago, someone was here from [YOUR ORGANIZATION] to look at your smoke 

alarms, and, then, the fire department came and installed some new ones for you. Do you remember that?

Mr. Roberts: Oh, sure. Those firemen were real nice.

Educator: Great. Now that you have your alarms, you should test them every month; you can ask someone to do it for you. Do you think you can do that? 

Mr. Roberts: My memory’s not too good anymore, but I’ll ask my son to remind me—he checks in on me

every day, and he has a real good memory. 

Educator: Great. I’ll show you how it’s done, so you can ask someone to do it for you. I’m going to press

this button to test the alarm. Do you see it? 

Mr. Roberts: Oh yeah, I see it.

Educator: Great. If the batteries are working, the alarm will make a loud beep when I press the button. 

Are you ready?

Mr. Roberts: Yep, go right ahead.

Educator: [Tests alarm, and it beeps.] Did you hear that beep? That means that the alarm is working.

Mr. Roberts: Yeah, I heard it alright. That doesn’t seem too hard.

Educator: Great. Before we move on to another topic, can you tell me in your own words what we just 

discussed?

Mr. Roberts: You told me that I need to check my alarm on a regular basis.

Educator: How often?

Mr. Roberts: What was it...once a month, I think, is that it?

Educator: Yes, that’s correct, once a month. Now let’s talk about something else. Have you ever thought

about how you might escape in case of fire here at home?

Mr. Roberts: This house has the front and the back door, which I can use to escape. 

Educator: That’s great. It’s important to know two ways out of every room and to plan your escape

around your abilities. I see that you walk with a cane. Do you always keep the cane nearby when you are 

sleeping in case you need to leave quickly in the middle of the night?
22

Fire Safe Seniors Tool Kit 

Mr. Roberts: Oh yes, my cane is always by my side. 

Educator: That’s good. You should also keep a phone and emergency numbers to call for help near your

bed. Do you have a phone near your bed? 

Mr. Roberts: No, my only phone is in the kitchen. 

Educator: Well, you may want to think about getting another phone for your bedroom. Perhaps you can 

talk to your son about how you can get one. 

Mr. Roberts: I reckon he knows where to get another one. He always has some kind of new fancy cell 

phone with him. 

Educator: That’s a good idea. Can you tell mein your own words what you learned aboutescape planning?

Mr. Roberts: Escape planning? What’s that? What do I need to escape from?

Educator: What I meant was how you can get out of your house in case of a fire.

Mr. Roberts: Well, I can go out the front or back door, and I’ll ask my son to get me a phone for my bed.

Educator: That’s great. Now Mr. Roberts, do you smoke?

Mr. Roberts: I lit up a few times in my younger days, but I haven’t smoked a cigarette in more than

40 years—and I’m proud of it!

Educator: That’s great. Do you ever use your stove to cook?

Mr. Roberts: Sometimes, I heat up some soup or make oatmeal when I get hungry on the weekends. 

’Cause my meal delivery service doesn’t come on Saturday or Sunday.

Educator: It is important to stand by your pan when you are cooking and turn the burner off if you leave 

the kitchen. This can help prevent a fire.

Mr. Roberts: I usually stay in the kitchen when I’m cooking, but I’ll be more careful.

Educator: Great. Can you just tell me again what you need to remember when cooking?

Mr. Roberts: I can’t leave anything unattended on the stove when it’s cooking.

Educator: Exactly. I see that you’re starting to get tired now, so I’ll wrap up. What questions do you have

for me? 

Mr. Roberts: I can’t think of any right now.

Educator: Okay. Well, if you do think of some questions later, you can call the program office and ask to

speak to me. Let me show you what I’m going to leave with you [shows the smoke alarm and escape 

planning flyer]. There are two flyers here. This one talks about the smoke alarms and the escape

planning [points to risk factor flyer]. This other one talks about preventing fires if you or someone in

your home smokes, cooks, or uses wood stoves or space heaters. These are for you to read. It’s also a good

idea to show them to your son.

Mr. Roberts: Thank you. I’ll read these when I’m done with my crossword puzzle today.

Educator: Well, thank you so much for your time, Mr. Roberts. If you have any questions, please feel 

free to call [YOUR ORGANIZATION AND NAME OF MAIN CONTACT PERSON]. I’ll write this

information for you on the flyer.
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Two-Hour Training Curriculum on Fire Safety Education | Facilitator’s Guide 

Mr. Roberts: Thank you. You have a nice day, too. 

Point out that the educator discussed only the main messages because Mr. Roberts had a 

limited attention span. The secondary messages were not discussed. 

(PowerPoint slide 37)

Scenario #2: Mrs. Paulson is 80 years old. She has a mild case of dementia and lives with her 

daughter, Nelly, in a two-bedroom apartment on the second floor. They will not be getting any 

free smoke alarms because their apartment building will not allow outside agencies to install 

alarms. They only have one smoke alarm in their living room, but it works. Mrs. Paulson likes 

to smoke a few cigarettes every day. Her apartment is well heated, so she does not use a space 

heater. She does not use the stove, but her daughter uses it. Mrs. Paulson has trouble walking 

on her own, and she spends most of the day on the couch watching television. Nelly is present 

during the education session. Nelly is very alert and is willing to discuss a lot of information. 

Script for demonstrating the role play

Educator: Good morning. My name is 	 	 , and I’m with [YOUR ORGANIZATION]. I called a 

few days ago to schedule a visit to talk about fire safety with Mrs. Paulson. Is this still a good time for both

of you? 

Nelly: Sure. Come on in. My name is Nelly, and I am Mrs. Paulson’s daughter.

Educator: Nice to meet you. 

Nelly: Nice to meet you, too. My mother is sitting over here on the couch. [Turns to address mother, 

speaking slowly and clearly.] Mom, a lady from [YOUR ORGANIZATION] is here to talk to us about 

fire safety.

Mrs. Paulson: Who is that?

Nelly: She’s with [YOUR ORGANIZATION], and she’s here to talk to us about how to prevent fires.

Educator: Good morning, Mrs. Paulson. How are you doing? 

Mrs. Paulson: I’m just fine.

Educator: Mrs. Paulson, I am here today because I would like to talk to you and Nelly about fire safety.

Many older people are injured or die each year because of home fires. If it’s okay with you, I’d like to spend

a few minutes discussing how both of you can prevent fires and what you can do in case of a fire. How

does that sound?

Nelly: That’s okay, Mom, isn’t it?

Mrs. Paulson: Is it going to take long? 

Educator: No. This will take us about 15 minutes. Is that ok? 

Mrs. Paulson: Why are you here again? 

Nelly: She’s here to talk about fire safety, Mom.
24

Fire Safe Seniors Tool Kit 

Mrs. Paulson: All right. 

Educator: A few days ago someone from [YOUR ORGANIZATION] came to check your smoke alarms, 

and he indicated that you have one here in your home. Is that correct? 

Nelly: Yes. It’s right here in the living room.

Educator: Good. It is important that your smoke alarm is tested every month; you can ask someone to do 

it for you. Is it okay if I show you how to do it, Nelly? 

Nelly: Sure, that’s fine.

Educator: I’m going to press this button to test the alarm, and it should make a loud noise if it is working.

Mrs. Paulson, are you ready? 

Mrs. Paulson: What’s that?

Educator: Mrs. Paulson, I’m going to test your smoke alarm. It’s going to make a loud noise, so I don’t

want you to be startled.

Mrs. Paulson: Okay, go ahead.

Educator: [Tests alarm.] That’s how it is going to sound if the batteries are working. If there is no noise,

then the batteries are not working and they need to be changed. It’s also important to never disable your

alarm by removing the batteries or taking it off the wall. 

Nelly: Okay. 

Educator: Before we move on to the next topic, can you tell me in your own words what we just discussed?

Nelly: You taught us how to test smoke alarms and said that we have to do it every month.

Educator: That’s right. Let’s move on to the next topic now. Have you ever thought about how you might

escape in case of fire?

Nelly: No, not really. I guess we would go out the front door, unless we want to leap out a window!

Educator: We definitely don’t want you jumping out of windows from such a height! You need to plan

your escape around your abilities. Do you have any other exit doors in the apartment? 

Nelly: Well, that sliding door leads out onto the balcony, but we couldn’t get down from there.

Educator: Well, one thing you can do is keep a phone and emergency numbers to call for help near your 

bed or sleeping area. Do either of you have a phone near your bed? 

Nelly: Yes, I do. 

Educator: If there is a fire, get out and stay out. If you can’t get out, get as low to the ground as you can.

You’ll also need to help your mother get low to the ground. Do you think that you could do that?

Nelly: Yeah. I know that you want to get low so that you don’t breathe the smoke.

Mrs. Paulson: That’s right.

Educator: Okay. Before we move on, can you tell me what we just discussed? 

Nelly: Gosh, we talked about a lot of things. Let’s see, we talked about how to escape, and, since the front

door is the only way out, we know that we need to keep a phone near the bed in case we can’t get out.
25

Two-Hour Training Curriculum on Fire Safety Education | Facilitator’s Guide 

Educator: And we also talked about the fact that, if there is a fire, you need to get out and stay out, and,

if you can’t get out, you should stay low to the ground, right?

Nelly: Oh yes, we talked about that too.

Educator: Okay. Let’s move on. Do either of you smoke?

Mrs. Paulson: What’s that?

Nelly: Yes. She likes to smoke. She smokes a few cigarettes a day. I’ve tried to get her to stop, but she

doesn’t listen.

Educator: Mrs. Paulson, you should never smoke when lying down, drowsy, or in bed. This is because 

the cigarette can fall out of your hand and cause a fire.

Nelly: Did you hear that, Mom? 

Mrs. Paulson: What?

Nelly: That you should not smoke when you are in bed. You know I have told you that many times. 

Mrs. Paulson: I know, I know. You have to stop nagging me about that!

Educator: It’s also important that you use large, deep, tip-resistant ashtrays and place them on a flat

surface. You should also wet the cigarette butts and ashes before emptying them into the trash.

Nelly: That’s good to know. I need to get some of those heavier ashtrays.

Educator: Can you tell me what you learned about smoking before we move on? 

Nelly: Well, Mom shouldn’t smokein bed, but she already knows that. And I need to get some bigger ashtrays.

Educator: And don’t forget to wet the ashes before you throw them out. Let’s talk about cooking now. Do

either of you use the stove to cook? 

Nelly: I don’t trust Mom around the stove anymore, so she’s not allowed to use it, but I use it all the time.

Educator: The most important thing to remember is to keep an eye on what you fry and stand by your 

pan when cooking at high temperatures. If you leave the kitchen, turn the burner off.

Nelly: Well, sometimes, if my favorite soap is on TV and I’m cooking lunch, I’ll leave things on the stove

for a few minutes. I’m just a few feet away in the living room.

Educator: It only takes a few minutes for a fire to start, so we recommend that you never leave anything

unattended on the stove. Fires started by cooking injure a lot of people every year. 

Mrs. Paulson: What’s that about cooking? Is it time for my lunch yet?

Nelly: It’s not lunchtime yet, Mom. We’ll eat soon, though, I promise.

Educator: You can also keep safe by wearing short sleeves or rolling your sleeves up while cooking and by 

keeping anything that can burn such as towels, curtains, or paper away from the stove. 

Nelly: I hadn’t thought about that. That’s a good idea. We don’t actually have any curtains in the kitchen,

so that’s not an issue.

Educator: Okay, so what did we discuss about how to prevent fires while cooking?
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Fire Safe Seniors Tool Kit 

Nelly: The most important thing is to keep an eye on what you fry. That one will be hard for me to follow, 

but I’ll try. I really don’t want to miss any of my soaps! We also need to avoid wearing long billowy sleeves

and we should keep stuff away from the stove.

Educator: What specifically do you need to keep away from the stove?

Nelly: Things like towels and paper. 

Educator: Good. Now can you tell me how you stay warm when it gets cold outside? I don’t see a fireplace

or wood stove, but do you have any space heaters? 

Nelly: Cold? Are you kidding? These apartments are toasty warm in the winter. In fact, sometimes, it’s so

hot that I have to keep the windows open. I wish we could control the temperature, but it’s all central.

Educator: I’m sure that must be frustrating, but I’m glad to hear that you’re warm enough when it’s cold

out. Before we end our visit, I would like to leave these two flyers with you. They have more information

about fire safety and fire prevention. Nelly, it would be great if you had some time to read these materials

together with your mother.

Nelly: Sure. I can do that. She likes it when we read together. 

Educator: What questions do either of you have for me? 

Nelly: You covered a lot. I can’t think of anything right now. Thanks for coming.

Educator: Thank you for taking the time to meet with me. If you have any questions, please feel free to call 

[YOUR ORGANIZATION AND NAME OF MAIN CONTACT PERSON]. I’ll write that down for you on

the flyer.

Nelly: I’ll do that. Have a nice day!

Before closing the session, remind participants that they should discuss only the following 

with residents who have limited attention spans:

• smoke alarm and escape planning messages,

• one other risk factor message (if the resident has any risk factors), and

• only the main message for each topic.
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Two-Hour Training Curriculum on Fire Safety Education | Facilitator’s Guide 

SESSION3

15

minutes

total time Next Steps, Training Closure, 

and Evaluation

CONTEXT

During this session, participants will discuss the next steps for conducting 

the education sessions. They will also take the posttest and fill out the 

workshop evaluation form. 

OBJECTIVES

By the end of this session, participants will have

• discussed next steps for conducting education sessions, 

• filled out the posttest form, and

• filled out the evaluation form. 

MATERIALS

PowerPoint presentation for Session 3 

Copies of the posttest and the answer key

Copies of the evaluation form

ACTIVITIES

Activity #1 Next steps for education sessions 5 minutes

Activity #2 Posttest, training closure, and evaluation 10 minutes
28

Fire Safe Seniors Tool Kit 

Activity #1: Next Steps for Education Sessions (5 min.) (PowerPoint slide 38)

(PowerPoint slide 39)

Introduce the session and review session objectives listed above. 

(PowerPoint slide 40)

The PowerPoint slide lists some suggested talking points for the next steps that your program 

will be following to implement the education sessions. Be sure to explain who will be responsible for which tasks, and how you will support them. 

Points for discussion may include the following:

• when the education will start,

• how staff and volunteers will receive names of older adults to be educated,

• how they will learn whether or not the older adults will be receiving free alarms,

• what to do with the completed forms after each education session,

• where to get copies of the tools and materials, and

• contact information for staff working on this project and the assistance they will be 

providing to educators. 

Activity #2: Posttest, Workshop Closure, and Evaluation (10 min.)

Distribute the posttest and give participants 5 minutes to complete it. Collect the posttests and 

pass out copies of the answer key. Encourage participants to review it on their own after the 

training. Then, ask them to complete the evaluation form. 

(PowerPoint slide 41)

At the end of the discussion, give your contact information to all participants in case they have 

any questions. Thank them for their participation and close the training. 

After the training, tally the training evaluation results and identify areas for improvement in 

the future. These results are for your own use. 

Also tally the posttest results following these steps:

• Using the answer key in Appendix D, mark each question as correctly answered or incorrectly

answered. For each correct answer, mark a “1,” and, for each incorrect answer, mark a “0.” 

For questions requiring participants to circle multiple answers (Example: Question #5), all of 

the correct answers must be circled for the question to be answered correctly. If a participant 

circles only two out of the three correct answers, the question must be marked as incorrect. 
29

Two-Hour Training Curriculum on Fire Safety Education | Facilitator’s Guide 

SESSION3 • Calculate the percentage of participants that answered each question correctly by taking

 the total number of 1’s for each question and dividing it by the number of posttests. 

• Calculate the percentage of questions that were answered correctly for each posttest 

(Example: On posttest #1, 8 out of 15 questions, or 53%, were answered correctly; on posttest 

#2, 10 out of 15 questions, or 67%, were answered correctly). Add up all of the percentages 

and then divide by the number of posttests to determine the overall percentage of questions 

that were answered correctly by all participants. 

Appendix B provides you with a table showing hypothetical results that have been tallied as 

described above. 
30

Fire Safe Seniors Tool Kit 
Two-Hour Training Curriculum on Fire Safety Education | Facilitator’s Guide 

31

Appendix A

Handouts

33

Handout 1

Training Agenda
Fire Safe Seniors

Training on Fire Safety Education

AGENDA

Session 1: Introduction to the Fire Safe 

Seniors Program

9:30–10:45 a.m. Session 2: Education about Fire Safety

10:45–11:00 a.m. Session 3: Next Steps, Training Closure, 

and Evaluation 

9:00–9:30 a.m.
Two-Hour Training Curriculum on Fire Safety Education | Facilitator’s Guide 

35

Handout 2

Tips for Communicating with

Older Adults
Fire Safe Seniors

TIPS FOR COMMUNICATING WITH OLDER ADULTS

1. Allow extra time for the discussion. 

• If you know that the resident has a mental or physical condition that limits his or her ability 

to understand and retain information, be sure to plan more time for the education session.

• If possible, arrange the education session when a family member or caregiver can be present. 

• Older adults are often lonely. They might want to talk to you about other topics.

2. Reduce background noise. 

• Ask permission to turn off the TV, radio, or other appliance that is making noise. Turning off 

noisy appliances will reduce distractions and help the resident to focus on what you are saying. 

3. Get the resident’s attention. 

• State the resident’s name and make sure that you have his or her attention before you 

begin. For example, start a sentence with “Mrs. Jones,” then pause. Wait until you have the 

resident’s attention before continuing. 

4. Speak at eye level and maintain eye contact.

• If the resident is in a wheelchair or lying down, pull up a chair. Be sure to maintain eye 

contact, which will help the resident to focus on the conversation. 

5. Speak clearly by using short, simple sentences. 

• Always try to be short, direct, and descriptive. For example, instead of saying “Mrs. Jones, I

would appreciate it if you would sign this form authorizing the local fire department to install the smoke

alarms you need,” try “Mrs. Jones, I need your permission to install the smoke alarms you need. Can you

please sign this form?”

6. Rephrase your messages.

• If the resident does not understand what you are saying, try to rephrase your message instead 

of simply repeating it. Always use simple words that are familiar to the resident. 

7. Move closer. 

• If the resident cannot hear what you are saying, try moving closer to the person rather than 

raising your voice. 

• Be respectful of a person’s personal space, and move away if she or he is not comfortable 

having you so close.

8. Read body language.

• A person’s body language can give clues about what she or he is trying to say. Pay attention 

to facial expressions and the way that people hold themselves. For example, if a resident 

is giving you a blank expression or frowns, this body language might indicate that he or she 

does not understand what you are saying.
Two-Hour Training Curriculum on Fire Safety Education | Facilitator’s Guide 

37

Handout 3

Education Scenarios
Education Scenario #1 

Mr. Roberts is 70 years of age and uses hearing aids. He will be getting three free smoke alarms 

from your program. He lives by himself in a small house, and his son comes to check on him once 

a day. He uses the stove to heat up soup and make oatmeal on the weekends. He also uses a wood 

stove to stay warm in the winter. He does not smoke, and he can get around the house by using a 

cane. He has a limited attention span. 

Education Scenario #2 

Mrs. Paulson is 80 years old. She has a mild case of dementia and lives with her daughter, Nelly, in 

a two-bedroom apartment on the second floor. They will not be getting any free alarms because 

their apartment building will not allow outside agencies to install alarms. They only have one 

smoke alarm in their living room, but it works. Mrs. Paulson likes to smoke a few cigarettes every 

day. Her apartment is well heated, so she does not use a space heater. She does not use the stove, 

but her daughter uses it. Mrs. Paulson has trouble walking on her own, and she spends most of the 

day on the couch watching television. Nelly is present during the education session. Nelly is very 

alert and is willing to discuss a lot of information. 
39

Two-Hour Training Curriculum on Fire Safety Education | Facilitator’s Guide 

Appendix B

Posttest and Answer Key
Fire Safe Seniors

FIRE SAFE SENIORS PROGRAM POSTTEST

1. Which of the following is not a component of the Fire Safe Seniors Program?

a. home assessments to ensure that residents have the appropriate number of smoke alarms

b. education about fire safety

c. distribution of fire extinguishers 

d. smoke alarm installation

2. People are eligible for free smoke alarms if they meet the following criteria: 

(Circle all that apply)

a. They live in nursing homes.

b. They live in a house or apartment.

c. They depend solely on Social Security for their income.

d. They are 65 years of age or older.

3. Which of the following is the leading cause of fire death among older adults in the 

United States?

a. space heaters igniting flammable objects

b. cooking 

c. smoking

d. candles tipping over

e. Christmas tree lights

4. Which of the following is the leading cause of fire injury among older adults in the 

United States? 

a. space heaters igniting flammable objects

b. cooking 

c. smoking

d. candles tipping over

e. Christmas tree lights

5. How often should smoke alarm batteries be tested?

a. once a week

b. once a month

c. once a quarter

d. once a year 
6. If possible, residents should know way(s) out of every room in their home. 

a. one

b. two

c. three

7. Fire Safe Seniors educators should not talk about escape planning with residents who 

have limited mobility.

a. true

b. false

8. In which situations should older adults avoid smoking to decrease their risk of 

starting a fire? (Circle all that apply)

a. when they are outside

b. when they are drowsy

c. when they are near oxygen tanks

d. when they are lying down or in bed

9. What is the most important message for residents who use their stoves to cook?

a. Get a fire extinguisher and learn how to use it.

b. Keep towels, curtains, and paper away from the stove.

c. Wear tight-fitting or rolled-up sleeves while cooking.

d. Keep an eye on what you fry and stand by your pan when cooking at high temperatures.

e. Clean the stove and oven often to prevent grease buildup. 

10. Space heaters should be kept at least feet away from flammable objects:

a. two

b. three

c. five

d. six 

11. Which of the following things should not be burned in fireplaces or wood stoves? 

(Circle all that apply)

a. green wood

b. dry (old) wood

c. trash

d. boxes

e. artificial logs
12. Imagine that you are educating a resident who has a limited attention span. He is a 

smoker who also cooks on his stove occasionally, and he uses a space heater to stay 

warm in the winter. Which of the following message topics would you discuss orally 

with him?

a. smoke alarms, escape planning, smoking, cooking, and space heater safety

b. smoke alarms, escape planning, smoking, and cooking

c. smoke alarms, escape planning, and smoking

d. smoke alarms and escape planning

e. None of the above—I would just leave flyers because he has a limited attention span.

13. Which of the following leave-behind materials should be used by all Fire Safe Seniors 

sites? (Circle all that apply)

a. refrigerator magnets/cards

b. educational flyers

c. phone stickers with emergency numbers

d. large bedside cards with emergency numbers

e. pocket cards for educators
Answer Key for Posttest

The correct answers are underlined and written in bold. 

1. Which of the following is not a component of the Fire Safe Seniors Program?

a. home assessments to ensure that residents have the appropriate number of smoke alarms

b. education about fire safety

c. distribution of fire extinguishers

d. smoke alarm installation

2. People are eligible for free smoke alarms if they meet the following criteria: 

(Circle all that apply)

a. They live in nursing homes.

b. They live in a house or apartment.

c. They depend solely on Social Security for their income.

d. They are 65 years of age or older.

3. Which of the following is the leading cause of fire death among older adults in the 

United States?

a. space heaters igniting flammable objects

b. cooking 

c. smoking

d. candles tipping over

e. Christmas tree lights

4. Which of the following is the leading cause of fire injury among older adults in the 

United States? 

a. space heaters igniting flammable objects

b. cooking

c. smoking

d. candles tipping over

e. Christmas tree lights

5. How often should smoke alarm batteries be tested?

a. once a week

b. once a month

c. once a quarter

d. once a year 
6. If possible, residents should know way(s) out of every room in their home. 

a. one

b. two

c. three

7. Fire Safe Seniors educators should not talk about escape planning with residents who 

have limited mobility.

a. true

b. false

8. In which situations should older adults avoid smoking to decrease their risk of 

starting a fire? (Circle all that apply)

a. when they are outside

b. when they are drowsy

c. when they are near oxygen tanks

d. when they are lying down or in bed

9. What is the most important message for residents who use their stoves to cook?

a. Get a fire extinguisher and learn how to use it.

b. Keep towels, curtains, and paper away from the stove.

c. Wear tight-fitting or rolled-up sleeves while cooking.

d. Keep an eye on what you fry and stand by your pan when cooking at high temperatures.

e. Clean the stove and oven often to prevent grease buildup. 

10. Space heaters should be kept at least feet away from flammable objects:

a. two

b. three

c. five

d. six 

11. Which of the following things should not be burned in fireplaces or wood stoves? 

(Circle all that apply)

a. green wood

b. dry (old) wood

c. trash

d. boxes

e. artificial logs
12. Imagine that you are educating a resident who has a limited attention span. He is a 

smoker who also cooks on his stove occasionally, and he uses a space heater to stay 

warm in the winter. Which of the following message topics would you discuss orally 

with him?

a. smoke alarms, escape planning, smoking, cooking, and space heater safety

b. smoke alarms, escape planning, smoking, and cooking

c. smoke alarms, escape planning, and smoking

d. smoke alarms and escape planning

e. None of the above—I would just leave flyers because he has a limited attention span.

13. Which of the following leave-behind materials should be used by all Fire Safe Seniors 

sites? (Circle all that apply)

a. refrigerator magnets/cards

b. educational flyers

c. phone stickers with emergency numbers

d. large bedside cards with emergency numbers

e. pocket cards for educators
Sample Tally of Posttest Results

Key: 0 = Incorrect Answer 1 = Correct Answer 

Question # Posttests

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 % Correct

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 93

2 0 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 53

3 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 27

4 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 1 67

5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

6 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 20

7 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 67

8 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 73

9 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 100

10 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 40

11 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 33

12 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 20

13 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7

% correct 38 69 54 38 54 38 69 31 46 38 38 46 54 31 46%
47

Appendix C

Evaluation Form
Fire Safe Seniors

TRAINING ON FIRE SAFETY EDUCATION EVALUATION FORM

Your feedback is very important to us! Please take 5 minutes to complete this evaluation 

form. Do not write your name on this form. 

1. Do you feel that this training provided you with the information and tools you need to 

effectively implement the Fire Safe Seniors Program?

 Yes No

2. Please indicate below how helpful the various training sessions and activities were to you 

by circling one number for each item.

 

Fire Safe Seniors program overview 1 2 3 4 5 

Why older adults are at greater risk 1 2 3 4 5 

Review of education tool and materials 1 2 3 4 5

Education role play 1 2 3 4 5 

3. How confident do you feel that you will be able to implement the following skill, which 

was outlined in the training objectives? Not 

Confident 

At All

Very 

Confident

Educate older adults about fire safety 1 2 3 4 5 

Not 

Helpful 

At All

Very 

Helpful

4. How effective were the trainers? 

Trainer Name

Trainer #1: 1 2 3 4 5 

Trainer #2: 1 2 3 4 5 

Trainer #3: 1 2 3 4 5 

Not

Effective 

At All

Very 

Effective
5. What did you like best about the training?

6. What are your suggestions for improving the training?

7. Comments: 

Two-Hour Training Curriculum on Fire Safety Education | Facilitator’s Guide 

51

Appendix D

Training Preparation Checklists
Fire Safe Seniors

TWO-HOUR TRAINING PREPARATION CHECKLISTS

These checklists are designed to help you prepare and conduct your training. The checklists cover 

the pretraining period, the day of the training, and after the training. 

Pretraining Preparation

Task Completed

Make Training Arrangements

Schedule the training at least 4 weeks in advance.

Reserve a spacious room that is easy to locate and has the appropriate lighting and 

equipment you need for the training.

Send an invitation to potential training participants and ask them to confirm their 

participation at least 1 week prior to the training.

Confirm Attendees

Obtain a roster of attendees at least 1 week prior to the training.

Send a reminder email or letter at least 4 days prior to the training. 

Procure Equipment

Laptop with Microsoft PowerPoint 

LCD projector and a screen

Obtain Supplies

Name badges

 2–3 fine-point markers for writing names on the name badges

Pocket folders for the participant packets (one for each participant and trainer) 

Labels for the participant packets (approximately 3”x 4”) 

Flipchart and at least 10 sheets of flipchart paper

Markers—blue, black, and red 

Masking tape

Smoke alarms (one alarm for every ten participants)
Task Completed

Prepare Participant Packets (one copy per participant and trainer)

Modify PowerPoint slides.

Copy the following materials and insert into packets:

• PowerPoint slides (printed with three slides per page)

• Education Tool

• Smoke alarm and escape planning flyer

• Risk factor flyer

Copy the following materials only if your program will be using them:

• Letter for the local fire department 

• Emergency number card 

• Phone sticker 

• Refrigerator magnet/card 

• Testing reminder stickers 

• Clipboard sticker 

• Pocket reminder card 

Copy Handouts (one copy per participant and trainer) 

• Training Agenda (Handout 1)

• Tips for Communicating with Older Adults (Handout 2)

• Education Scenario (Handout 3)

• Posttest and Answer Key (Appendix B)

• Evaluation Form (Appendix C)

Make Arrangements for Food/Beverages 

• Snacks

• Coffee, tea, and water
Day of the Training

Task Completed

Set Up Training Room

Arrange furniture to allow all trainees to see the trainer and audiovisual aids.

Set up the flipchart and put markers in a convenient place. 

Write the training agenda on the flipchart and tape it to the wall.

Write a welcome message on the flipchart.

Ensure the room temperature is comfortable. 

Ensure the lighting is appropriate for activities, such as note-taking and viewing of 

PowerPoint slides.

Set out water pitchers or bottles.

Set up a table for food and beverages.

Test the smoke alarms to make sure they are working properly.

Set up a sign-in table with the name badges, fine-point markers, and sign-in sheet.

Find out where the restrooms are located.

Set up the laptop and connect the LCD projector.

Set up the screen to project the PowerPoint presentation.

Load the PowerPoint presentation into the laptop.

Organize Training Materials

Arrange participant packets, handouts, posttests, and evaluation forms in order of use. 

Post-Training

Task Completed

Tally the results of the posttest.

Tally the results of the evaluation form. 

Make arrangements to observe the first education session conducted by trainees and provide 

constructive feedback about what worked well and what could have been improved.
1

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CDC; 2010 [cited 2013 May 14]. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/index.html.

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14]. Available at: http://www.nfpa.org.

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Hall J. Fatal Effects of Fire. Quincy, MA: National Fire Protection Association; March 2011 [cited 2013 May 14]. Available at: http://

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Ahrens M. Home Structure Fires. Quincy, MA: National Fire Protection Association; April 2013 [cited 2013 May 14]. Available at: 

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The Fire Protection Research Foundation. Reducing fire deaths in older adults: Optimizing Smoke Alarm Signal Research Project. 

Summary technical report [monograph on the Internet]. Quincy, MA: The Fire Protection Research Foundation; May 2006 [cited 

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June 2010