June 2010
Fire Safe Seniors

Four-Hour Training Curriculum on 

Home Assessment, Smoke 

Alarm Installation, and 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

Training Agenda 4

Session 1: Introduction to the Fire Safe Seniors Program 5

Session 2: Home Assessment 11

Session 3: Smoke Alarm Installation (Optional) 19

Session 4: Education about Fire Safety 23

Session 5: Next Steps, Training Closure, and Evaluation 39

Appendices

Appendix A: Handouts

Appendix B: Posttest

Appendix C: Evaluation Form

Appendix D: Answer Keys

Appendix E: Training Preparation Checklists

Document References
Fire Safe Seniors Tool Kit 

IV
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 home assessment and education components of a fire safety program. This 

training also has an optional session on smoke alarm installation, if staff or volunteers will 

also be implementing this part of the program. 

This training curriculum is designed to be 4 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 4-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 conduct home assessments and educate residents about fire safety,

• learned how to install smoke alarms (optional), and

• discussed next steps for implementing the program.

Four-Hour Training Curriculum on Home Assessment, Smoke Alarm Installation, and Education | Facilitator’s Guide 
Fire Safe Seniors Tool Kit 

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 five appendices:

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

• Appendix B contains the posttest. 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 the answer keys for the home assessment exercise and the posttest. 

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

the day of the training, and after the training. 
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Four-Hour Training Curriculum on Home Assessment, Smoke Alarm Installation, and Education | Facilitator’s Guide 

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 E 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. 

Fire Department Participation

Your program coordinator or site coordinator should have already obtained the support of the 

local fire department for this program prior to the training. Inviting a local firefighter to copresent the smoke alarm installation session with you may be helpful, in case participants have 

questions about smoke alarm installation or placement. If a firefighter is not available for your 

session, you may wish to meet with a firefighter beforehand to receive an orientation to smoke 

alarm installation to ensure that you demonstrate it correctly. 
4

Fire Safe Seniors Tool Kit 

Fire Safe Seniors

Training on Home Assessment, Smoke 

Alarm Installation, and Education

AGENDA

8:30–9:10 a.m. Session 1: Introduction to the Fire Safe 

Seniors Program

9:10–10:15 a.m. Session 2: Home Assessment

10:15–10:25 a.m. Break

10:25–10:55 a.m. Session 3: Smoke Alarm Installation (optional)

10:55 a.m.–12:05 p.m. Session 4: Education about Fire Safety

12:05–12:30 p.m. Session 5: Next Steps, Training Closure, 

and Evaluation 
Four-Hour Training Curriculum on Home Assessment, Smoke Alarm Installation, and Education | Facilitator’s Guide 

5 SESSION1

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 15 minutes

Activity #2 Training objectives and agenda 5 minutes

Activity #3 Program overview 10 minutes

Activity #4 Why older adults are at greater risk 10 minutes

40

minutes

total time
6

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 (15 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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Four-Hour Training Curriculum on Home Assessment, Smoke Alarm Installation, and 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 conduct home assessments and educate seniors about fire safety,

• learned how to install smoke alarms (if applicable), and

• discussed next steps for implementing the home assessments and education.

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

conduct home assessments, install smoke alarms (if applicable), and educate older adults. 

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 (10 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.
8

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).

Eligibility should be determined when people call to inquire about the program, assuming that you are 

advertising it publicly. If your organization has an existing older adult client base, you can use your own 

internal records to determine eligibility. 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.

(PowerPoint slide 8—Modify as needed.)

The Fire Safe Seniors Program will be implemented through the following steps: 

1. You conduct the home assessments, smoke alarm installations ,and education. These things may 

happen during the same visit or separate visits, depending on your site. 

2. You return shortly after installation to test the alarms and ensure that they work properly. 

[NOTE: This step only applies if alarms are being installed by the fire department.] 

3.	 Approximately 6 months after installation, you conduct follow-up visits to assess the effectiveness of

the program. 

Tell participants that they are all here today because they will be conducting the home 

assessments, smoke alarm installation (if applicable), and fire safety education. 

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

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

(PowerPoint slide 9)

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.
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Four-Hour Training Curriculum on Home Assessment, Smoke Alarm Installation, and Education | Facilitator’s Guide 

SESSION1 •	 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 10)

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 11)

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

among older adults.5

(PowerPoint slide 12)

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. 
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Fire Safe Seniors Tool Kit 

(PowerPoint slide 13—Modify as needed.)

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

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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Four-Hour Training Curriculum on Home Assessment, Smoke Alarm Installation, and Education | Facilitator’s Guide 

SESSION2

65

minutes

total time

Home Assessment 

CONTEXT

This session provides an in-depth review of the home assessment process. 

OBJECTIVES

By the end of this session, participants will have

• reviewed the Fire Safe Seniors smoke alarm standards, 

• reviewed the home assessment tool, 

• discussed steps for conducting the home assessment, and 

• completed a home assessment exercise.

MATERIALS

PowerPoint presentation for Session 2

Flipchart and markers 

Handout 2: Consent and Waiver Form 

Handout 3: Home Assessment Scenarios

ACTIVITIES

Activity #1 Review of session objectives 5 minutes

Activity #2 Smoke alarm standards 5 minutes

Activity #3 Home assessment tool and steps 30 minutes

Activity #4 Home assessment exercise 25 minutes 
12

Fire Safe Seniors Tool Kit 

TRAINING TIPS

• Doing a mock home assessment during the training is usually not possible because 

the layout of an office is very different than a house or apartment layout. Therefore, 

observing actual home assessments after participants have returned to their 

communities is recommended. Consider having the trainer observe the first assessment 

conducted by each trainee and provide constructive feedback about what worked well 

and what could have been improved. Use this opportunity to also observe the smoke 

alarm installation process to ensure that it is done safely and correctly. 

Activity #1: Review of Session Objectives (5 min.) (PowerPoint slide 14)

(PowerPoint slide 15)

Introduce the session and review session objectives listed above. 

(PowerPoint slide 16)

Review the purpose of conducting home assessments: 

• to determine if resident has appropriate number of smoke alarms with long-life 

lithium batteries, 

• to test existing alarms to see if they are working, and

• to assess barriers that would keep the resident from escaping in case of a fire.

Residents who are not eligible for free alarms can benefit from assessments in the 

following ways:

• They learn about the importance of smoke alarms.

• Their existing alarms are tested.

• Escape barriers are identified.
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Four-Hour Training Curriculum on Home Assessment, Smoke Alarm Installation, and Education | Facilitator’s Guide 

SESSION2

Activity #2: Smoke Alarm Standards (5 min)

Present the standards that your program will be following for smoke alarm installation. 

[NOTE: Modify this information if your county or state has different regulations.]

(PowerPoint slide 17)

The Fire Safe Seniors Program will be installing free smoke alarms with long-life lithium batteries in the 

following locations: 

• one on every level of the home, including the basement, and

• one directly outside of every sleeping area.

By sleeping area, we mean the area outside of any room where a person might sleep, including guest 

rooms where people may sleep occasionally. This area is often a hallway outside of bedrooms. 

(PowerPoint slide 18)

Existing alarms will be replaced if 

•	 they have non-lithium batteries (regardless of whether they are working),

• the battery type cannot be determined,

• they are not working, or

• they are more than 10 years old.

A few residents may have hardwired alarms. The replacement of hardwired smoke alarms is beyond the 

scope of this program, but you may recommend putting a new alarm next to a hardwired alarm that is 

not working or is more than 10 years old. 

It may be difficult to visually distinguish between smoke alarms that use long-life lithium batteries and

smoke alarms that use non-lithium batteries, although some smoke alarms with long-life lithium batteries

may have stickers on them indicating 10-year batteries. We do not want staff or volunteers to take alarms

apart to look at batteries. Please ask residents if they know whether their existing alarms have long-life

lithium batteries or other types of batteries. 

Many residents will not know what type of batteries their alarms have, but in most cases we think that 

they will have non-lithium batteries. Therefore, alarms with unknown battery types will be counted as

non-lithium alarms and will be replaced.

(PowerPoint slide 19—Modify as needed.)

The number of alarms that each household can receive is not limited.

 
14

Fire Safe Seniors Tool Kit 

Activity #3: Home Assessment Tool and Steps (30 min.)

Ask participants to refer to the home assessment tool in their tool kit. Walk through the 

different sections of the tool as follows: 

(PowerPoint slide 20) 

Review of the assessment tool: 

• Top section: Fill in the date of the assessment and your name where it says “assessor.” Next, provide 

the resident’s name, address, phone number, gender, ethnicity, and date of birth.

• Alarm matrix: This section is where you will indicate the locations of existing alarms and their status. 

•	 The first column lists all areas of the home that should have a smoke alarm:

Sleeping Areas: As a first step, check for alarms directly outside of each sleeping area in the home.

Sleeping areas may be on more than one level, including the basement. Indicate the level of the home 

where each sleeping area is located. 

Additional Levels: If another level of the home does not have a sleeping area (e.g., the main living level 

or the basement), check for alarms on this level. Be sure to indicate which level of the home it is. 

• The second column is where you indicate what you find in each area:

• AM for an alarm that is missing (in other words, there is no alarm),

•	 NLB for an alarm with a non-lithium battery or an unknown battery type,

•	 NWL for a lithium alarm that is not working,

• >10 for a working lithium battery alarm that is more than 10 years old, and

• OK for a working lithium battery alarm that is less than 10 years old.

• After you have filled in all of the columns, you need to estimate the total number of alarms that need

to be installed. To get this number, add up all of the times that you wrote AM, NLB, NLW, and >10.

• Escape barriers: This where you can note any barriers that might keep the resident from escaping. 

Some of the most common types of escape barriers include: 

• furniture or boxes blocking exit doors,

• security bars on doors or windows,

• windows that are nailed or painted shut, and

• clutter hindering escape routes.

We all have different definitions of clutter. For the purposes of the Fire Safe Seniors Program, we are

talking about major clutter that is blocking an escape route, such as large piles of magazines or boxes. 
15

Four-Hour Training Curriculum on Home Assessment, Smoke Alarm Installation, and Education | Facilitator’s Guide 

SESSION2

Your program may be able to send caseworkers or volunteers back to address these barriers. Whether

you are able to address these barriers will be up to your program to decide. Even if you cannot directly 

address them, you may wish to bring the barriers to the attention of the resident if the barriers could 

easily be addressed with the help of a friend or family member (like removing clutter, for example).

• Homeownership status: This section is where you should indicate whether the resident owns his or 

her residence, lives in a residence that is occupied by the owner, or rents his or her residence (house or 

apartment). [NOTE: You may not need to collect this information if you are giving alarms 

to both homeowners and renters.]

• Number of people living in the home: Indicate here the total number of people living in the home. 

This information will allow you to determine the number of people benefiting from the program.

Now, look at the back of the form. You will see the following items: 

• Smoke alarm standards: If you look at the back of the tool, you will see reminders about where alarms should 

be located and which alarms should be replaced. You can refer to these as you are doing the assessment. 

• Action needed: Place an X in the box if the resident needs alarms.

• Tracking information: On the back of the form, you will see a space for indicating when the alarm 

was installed and when the alarm was tested. This information will be filled out at a later date, after

the assessment is completed. [NOTE: A separate testing visit is only necessary if the fire 

department is installing the alarms without your staff or volunteers present.]

Ask participants if they have any questions about the form. Recommend that they use a 

clipboard to fill it out. 

Steps for completing a home assessment:

Pass out Handout 2: Consent and Waiver Form. Explain the steps to conduct a home assessment: 

(PowerPoint slide 21)

Step 1: Identify residents who are eligible for the program. You may have already done this through 

community canvassing. If you have posted flyers or done other types of advertising, determine

eligibility for free smoke alarms when the person calls to inquire about the program. If you have 

an existing resident base, use your records to identify eligible residents and call them to determine 

their interest in the program. NOTE: You may offer education about fire safety to residents who

are not eligible for free smoke alarms if this service is within your program’s mandate.

Step 2: Make an appointment at a time that is convenient for the resident. If the older adult has a 

regular caregiver, schedule the appointment at a time when the caregiver will be present. The 

appointment should take 15 minutes if you will be doing the home assessment only and will not

be educating residents or installing alarms during the same visit. If you also will be conducting 
16

Fire Safe Seniors Tool Kit 

education about fire safety and response, then you need to allow 30 minutes for both assessment

and education. If you will be installing smoke alarms, you should plan on 15 minutes for installing each alarm. 

Step 3: On the day of the visit, call ahead of time to let the resident know that you are coming, and 

document the call in your files. During this call, you can ask if it would be possible to shut any

dogs in a room during the visit, just in case they are not friendly towards strangers. When you

arrive at the house, introduce yourself and explain why you are there. For example, you can say, 

“I’m here to talk to you about fire safety and prevention and see how many smoke alarms you

need.” Take a few minutes to fill out the information on the top of the form. Then explain that

you would like to walk through the house to see if there are enough smoke alarms. Reassure the 

resident that you are not there to inspect their house and it doesn’t matter if the house is clean!

Make sure that you are wearing some type of program identification, such as a badge, program

T-shirt, or program cap.

(PowerPoint slide 22) 

Step 4: Ask where people sleep in the house (bedrooms or other areas). Begin by assessing these areas of the 

home. When you fill out theform, sleeping area #1 should bethe first sleeping area that you find.

If thereis a sleeping area on the ground level, forexample, this is usually the onethat you will find

first, so this will be sleeping area #1. Cover any other levels of the home, including the basement.

Step 5: Note any missing alarms and the status of existing alarms on the home assessment tool. For 

each alarm that you find, ask if the alarm has long-life lithium batteries or another type of

batteries (e.g., alkaline or carbon zinc). 

Step 6: 	 Test any alarms with long-lifelithium batteries and notetheresults on the home assessment tool.

Step 7: Ask the resident if you can check for escape barriers, and make a note of them on the form. If 

your program is able to address escape barriers, then you may wish to take this opportunity 

to discuss any barriers that you noticed. Each program should determine whether to address 

escape barriers and how they should be discussed with residents (if at all). 

(PowerPoint slide 23) 

Step 8: Install any new alarms that are needed or explain when the installation will happen. If alarms 

are being installed by the fire department, mention that someone from your program will be

returning to the home to test the alarms after they have been installed. Have the resident sign 

the consent and waiver form. 

Step 9:	 Proceed to the education about fire safety and response. If the education will take place during

another visit, explain who will be coming back to do it and when. 

Step 10: Explain that someone from your program will be following up with them again in approximately 

6 months. Ask the resident or caregiver if they have any questions and thank them for their time. 
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Four-Hour Training Curriculum on Home Assessment, Smoke Alarm Installation, and Education | Facilitator’s Guide 

SESSION2

Safety Tips:

Your staff and volunteers may visit unfamiliar or unsafe neighborhoods. In addition, risk 

is always involved when going into an unfamiliar home. Present the following guidelines, 

which can help to keep your staff and volunteers safe as they perform home assessments. 

[NOTE: These guidelines also apply for other visits that may be made to install smoke 

alarms or conduct education.] 

(PowerPoint slide 24) 

• Always visit homes in pairs. 

• If you are going to an unfamiliar neighborhood, bring a map or global positioning system (GPS) with 

you to avoid getting lost. Also, bring the program coordinator’s phone number.

•	 Do not show up unannounced—ensurethat an appointment forthe visit has been made and then reconfirm

it the day before. If possible, also call that day to request that any dogs be shut in a room prior to your arrival. 

• Conduct all visits during daylight hours, if possible.

• If possible, mix genders within the pairs (i.e., send a man and a woman together).

(PowerPoint slide 25)

• Do not enter any homes that make you feel unsafe. If you are unsure about whether to enter, call the 

program coordinator. 

• Leave the home immediately if you feel threatened for any reason. Establish a code word with your 

partner that you can use to alert each other if you feel unsafe.

• Do not look around inside the homes any more than is necessary to conduct the assessment—this could 

make residents or their family members confrontational if, for example, they feel that their homes are 

being scoped out for theft. 

Optional materials for staff and volunteers:

Ask participants to look at the other materials that are available for staff and volunteers if they 

choose to use them: 

(PowerPoint slide 26)

• testing reminder sticker: The stickers can be placed on things that your staff or volunteers distribute 

to older adults on a regular basis. For example, if your organization delivers meals and your volunteers 

are able to test alarms for your residents, this sticker can be placed on meal packets once a month 

as a reminder. Planning when the stickers will be used each month is a good idea. For example, your 

program may decide that testing will happen on the first Monday of each month and use the stickers

accordingly. These stickers can be printed on standard address labels that you can get online or buy at 

office supply stores (size 1”x 4”). A pack of 5,000 stickers costs approximately $70.

• fire department letter: If you are partnering with fire departments for the installation component of

your program, firefighters can bring this letter with them when they install alarms. The letter explains

why the firefighters are there to reassure residents who may not remember the home assessment.
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Fire Safe Seniors Tool Kit 

Let participants know where they can access electronic and/or hard copy versions of 

these materials. 

Activity #4: Home Assessment Exercise (25 min.)

Distribute a copy of Handout 3: Home Assessment Scenarios to each participant and ask 

them to pull the extra copy of the home assessment tool out of their packets. Divide participants into pairs, and assign each pair one of the scenarios to work on. Ensure that at least one 

pair is working on each of the three scenarios. Give participants the following instructions: 

(PowerPoint slide 27)

• Break into pairs. 

•	 Read your assigned scenario and look at the floor plan of the home. The shapes with the “S” inside of

them indicate existing smoke alarms. 

•	 Work with your partner to make X’s where an alarm is needed but does not currently exist. Also, circle

any existing alarms that need to be replaced. 

•	 Fill out the assessment tool for your scenario. Each of you should fill out the form to get practice.

• You have 10 minutes to complete your scenario.

(PowerPoint slides 28, 29, 30) 

Take the last 15 minutes of the session to discuss the scenarios with the group (5 minutes per 

scenario). Show the PowerPoint slide containing the first floor plan and ask for one volunteer to explain how they filled out the form for the first scenario. Ask the rest of the group to 

explain any differences in how they filled out their own forms. Then, share the correct answers 

for this scenario, which can be found in Appendix D. Show the second and third floor plans and 

ask for different volunteers to explain how they filled out their forms. After discussing each 

scenario, share the correct answers. 

Before closing the session, review again the areas of the home that should have smoke alarms:

• one on every level of the home, including the basement, and

• one directly outside of every sleeping area.

Remember that these guidelines should match those that your program is following. Also, 

review when to recommend that a new alarm be installed or an existing alarm be replaced: 

• New alarms should be recommended for areas of the house that are missing alarms.

• Alarms with non-lithium batteries and unknown battery types should be replaced, even if 

they are working.

• Alarms with long-life lithium batteries that are not working should be replaced.

• Alarms more than 10 years old should be replaced.
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Four-Hour Training Curriculum on Home Assessment, Smoke Alarm Installation, and Education | Facilitator’s Guide 

SESSION3

30

minutes

total time

Smoke Alarm Installation (Optional)

CONTEXT

This session provides an in-depth review of smoke alarm installation. This 

session is not necessary if the fire department or other organization will be 

installing your alarms.

OBJECTIVES

By the end of this session, participants will have

• examined the smoke alarm testing, installation, and maintenance guidelines 

and

• practiced installing a smoke alarm

MATERIALS

PowerPoint presentation for Session 3

Handout 4: Smoke Alarm Installation Guidelines

Smoke alarms (one for every group of three participants)

Mounting materials that came with the smoke alarms (screws and 

mounting brackets/rings, if applicable)

Drills (one per group) 

Screwdrivers, with the appropriate heads to match the screws used to 

mount your smoke alarms (one per group)

Thick pieces of wood for smoke alarm installation practice, if using the 

ceiling or wall of the training room is not possible (one per group) 

Goggles (one pair per group)

Tape measure and pencil (one set per group)

Stepladder (one per group)
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Fire Safe Seniors Tool Kit 

ACTIVITIES

Activity #1 Review of session objectives 5 minutes

Activity #2 Smoke alarm installation, testing,

and maintenance 10 minutes

Activity #3 Installation practice 15 minutes 

TRAINING TIPS

• Inviting a local firefighter to copresent this session with you may be helpful in case 

people have questions about smoke alarm installation or placement that you are unable 

to answer. If a firefighter is not available for your session, you may wish to meet with a 

firefighter beforehand to discuss the nuts and bolts of smoke alarm installation. 

• Scope out the training room several days before the session to see if installing alarms 

on the ceiling or wall is possible. If not, bring pieces of wood that can be placed on a 

table to practice installation. Ensure that the wood is thick enough to accommodate the 

mounting screws. 

• Read the manufacturer’s instructions before you demonstrate the smoke alarm installation and practice the installation a few times before the training. The instructions will tell 

you where and how to install the alarm for best performance.

• If you have purchased alarms with special features, such as strobe lights or pause 

buttons, be sure to show participants how they work. 

 

Activity #1: Review of Session Objectives (5 min.) (PowerPoint slide 31)

(PowerPoint slide 32)

Introduce the session and review session objectives listed above. 

Activity #2: Smoke Alarm Installation, Testing, and Maintenance (10 min.)

If your local fire department is not installing your smoke alarms, your staff and/or volunteers 

will need to know how to do it. Go over the following guidelines for smoke alarm installation, 

testing, and maintenance and pass out Handout 4: Smoke Alarm Installation Guidelines. 
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Four-Hour Training Curriculum on Home Assessment, Smoke Alarm Installation, and Education | Facilitator’s Guide 

SESSION3

Steps for Installing the Smoke Alarm

Before leaving for their first installation, the installers should read the manufacturer’s instructions and ask questions of the program coordinator if something is not clear. 

(PowerPoint slide 33)

Step 1: Determine the appropriate location for the alarms based on the results of the home 

assessment. Keep the following points in mind: 

• Do not place alarms in or very near kitchens or bathrooms or close to woodburning stoves, clothes dryers, or other appliances, which normally become warm 

or give off dust or steam during operation. For example, steam from the bathroom 

can trigger smoke alarms to go off. If the alarm must be located near a kitchen or 

bathroom, try and place it as far away as possible to avoid nuisance alarms.

• Place alarms on the ceiling at least 4 inches from the nearest wall and at least 2 feet 

from the nearest corner. Do not install alarms within 2 feet of the corner of a room 

because the airflow in corners is restricted. 

• If alarms cannot be installed on the ceiling, install them on a wall at least 4 inches, 

but not more than 12 inches, from the ceiling, and 2 feet from the nearest corner. 

Install alarms on interior walls in mobile homes or other homes that are poorly 

insulated if ceiling installation is not possible because the external walls may heat 

up in hot weather. 

• Locating alarms where they can be mounted by screws is preferable. Although 

alarms can be mounted by using double-sided tape, this method is not recommended because the tape can pull free if exposed to heat. Therefore, only use tape 

in situations where screws are not an option. 

(PowerPoint slide 34)

Step 2: Test each smoke alarm before you install it. 

Step 3: Measure the distance between the screw holes on the alarm or on the mounting 

bracket/ring. Use a pencil to mark the distance on the ceiling or wall. (Skip this 

step if using double-sided tape.)

Step 4: Drill holes at the pencil marks. (Skip this step if using double-sided tape.)

(PowerPoint slide 35)

Step 5: Use screws or tape to attach the alarm or the mounting bracket/ring. Mount the 

alarm in the bracket/ring (if applicable).

Step 6: Demonstrate how to test the alarm and explain how to maintain it (see below).
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Fire Safe Seniors Tool Kit 

Smoke Alarm Maintenance Tips 

Smoke alarm recipients need to know how to care for their smoke alarms to ensure that they 

keep working properly. Here are some tips: 

(PowerPoint slide 36)

• Use a vacuum with a hose and wand attachment or a soft feather duster or brush to remove 

dirt, dust, and cobwebs from the smoke alarm. 

• You do not need to open the smoke alarm case to clean it. 

• Smoke alarms should be cleaned at least once each month to prevent the buildup of dust, 

cobwebs, and other foreign material. You can clean your alarms when you test them monthly.

• 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. When you hear this 

sound, the battery needs to be changed. Test your alarms after being away from home for 

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

• Smoke alarms with long-life lithium batteries are designed to only last for up to 10 years. 

After that amount of time, the entire unit (alarm and batteries) will need to be replaced.

Activity #3: Smoke Alarm Installation Practice (15 min.) 

Divide participants into groups of three and give a smoke alarm and other installation supplies 

to each group. If you are using pieces of wood for the installation, clear space on tables for them.

First, take a minute to show the participants where the battery, test button, and any other 

features are located on the alarm. Then, have each person practice installing the smoke alarm, 

following these instructions:

(PowerPoint slide 37)

• Measure the distance between the screw holes by using a tape measure.

• Use a step ladder, if necessary, and make light pencil marks on the ceiling, wall, or piece of 

wood to indicate where you would need to drill holes.

• Drill holes in the ceiling, wall, or piece of wood.

• Screw the alarm or mounting ring/bracket into the ceiling, wall, or piece of wood.

• Screw the alarm into the mounting ring/bracket (if applicable).

• Test the alarm.
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SESSION4

1

10 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

• 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 4

Flipchart and markers 

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 5: Tips for Communicating with Older Adults 

Handout 6: Education Scenario

ACTIVITIES

Activity #1 Review of session objectives 5 minutes

Activity #2 Review of education tool and materials 30 minutes

Activity #3 Education role play 35 minutes
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Fire Safe Seniors Tool Kit 

TRAINING TIPS

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

in Activity #3. 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.

Activity #1: Review of Session Objectives (5 min.) (PowerPoint slide 38)

(PowerPoint slide 39)

Introduce the session and review session objectives listed above. 
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Activity #2: Review of Educational Tool and Materials (30 min.) 

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

(PowerPoint slide 40)

• 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 41)

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 42)

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 43)

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. 

•	 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.]
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Fire Safe Seniors Tool Kit 

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 44)

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 45) 

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 46)

• 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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SESSION4

Messages for Discussion According to Risk Factors

SMOKING (PowerPoint slide 47)

• 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 48)

• 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 sleeves up so they don’t catch on fire.

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

SPACE HEATERS (PowerPoint slide 49)

• 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 50)

• 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 51)

• 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 52)

• 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 53)

• 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.] 
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SESSION4

(PowerPoint slide 54)

• 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 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 55)

• 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 56)

• 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 57)

• 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
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Fire Safe Seniors Tool Kit 

contain more detailed information than what you will discuss orally. 

[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. 
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SESSION4

Materials for Staff and Volunteers

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

(PowerPoint slide 58)

• 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 5: 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. 

Activity #3: Education Role Plays (35 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 59)

• Have participants divide into pairs and trios. Distribute Handout 6: 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. Let them know that they do not

have to role-play the home assessment—only the education session. 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).
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Fire Safe Seniors Tool Kit 

• 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 60)

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 nameis , and I’m with [YOUR ORGANIZATION]. 

How are you today? 

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 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: 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?
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SESSION4

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?

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.
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Fire Safe Seniors Tool Kit 

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.

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 61)

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. 
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Four-Hour Training Curriculum on Home Assessment, Smoke Alarm Installation, and Education | Facilitator’s Guide 

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.

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.
36

Fire Safe Seniors Tool Kit 

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.

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.
37

Four-Hour Training Curriculum on Home Assessment, Smoke Alarm Installation, and Education | Facilitator’s Guide 

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?

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!
38

Fire Safe Seniors Tool Kit 

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.
39

Four-Hour Training Curriculum on Home Assessment, Smoke Alarm Installation, and Education | Facilitator’s Guide 

SESSION5

25

minutes

total time Next Steps, Training 

Closure, and Evaluation

CONTEXT

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

the home assessments and 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 home assessments, education sessions, 

and follow-up visits,

• filled out the posttest form, and

• filled out the evaluation form. 

MATERIALS

PowerPoint presentation for Session 5 

Copies of the posttest and the answer key

Copies of the evaluation form

ACTIVITIES

Activity #1 Review of session objectives 5 minutes

Activity #2 Next steps and follow-up visit 10 minutes

Activity #3 Posttest, training closure, and evaluation 10 minutes
40

Fire Safe Seniors Tool Kit 

Activity #1: Review of Session Objectives (5 min.) (PowerPoint slide 62)

(PowerPoint slide 63)

Introduce the session and review session objectives listed above. 

Activity #2: Next Steps and Follow-up Visit (10 min.) 

(PowerPoint slide 64)

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

program will be following to implement the home assessments and education. 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 assessments and education will start,

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

• what to do with the completed forms after each assessment and education visit,

• how referrals will be made to the fire department (if applicable),

• 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 assessors and educators. 

(PowerPoint slide 65) 

Discuss the follow-up visit that staff or volunteers will make to residents approximately six 

months after smoke alarms have been installed. Explain that the purpose of the follow-up 

visit will be to:

• verify that the smoke alarms that were installed are still working,

• see if the resident has had the alarms tested since their installation,

• see if the smoke alarms have alerted the resident to any fires, thereby potentially saving 

lives, and

• determine if the resident has experienced any changes in knowledge or behaviors as a 

result of the education. 

Explain that participants will receive instructions on how to conduct the follow-up visit at a 

later date. Your Program Coordinator will need to develop a plan for these follow-up visits.

Ask participants if they have any questions before distributing the posttests and the 

evaluation forms. 
41

Four-Hour Training Curriculum on Home Assessment, Smoke Alarm Installation, and Education | Facilitator’s Guide 

SESSION5

Activity #3: 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 66)

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. 

• 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 D provides you with a table showing hypothetical results that have been tallied as 

described above. 
42

Fire Safe Seniors Tool Kit 
Four-Hour Training Curriculum on Home Assessment, Smoke Alarm Installation, and Education | Facilitator’s Guide 

43

Appendix A

Handouts
Fire Safe Seniors Tool Kit 
45

Handout 1

Training Agenda
Fire Safe Seniors

Training on Home Assessment, 

Smoke Alarm Installation, and Education

AGENDA

8:30–9:10 a.m. Session 1: Introduction to the Fire Safe 

Seniors Program

9:10–10:15 a.m. Session 2: Home Assessment

10:15–10:25 a.m. Break

10:25–10:55 a.m. Session 3: Smoke Alarm Installation (optional)

10:55 a.m.–12:05 p.m. Session 4: Education about Fire Safety

12:05–12:30 p.m. Session 5: Next Steps, Training Closure, 

and Evaluation 
47

Handout 2

Consent and Waiver Form
Fire Safe Seniors

Fire Safe Seniors Program

Consent and Waiver Form

As a participant in the Fire Safe Seniors Program implemented by [NAME OF YOUR ORGANIZATION], 

I understand and agree to the following:

1. My participation in the program is completely voluntary, and there is no cost or obligation for 

me to participate;

2. My decision to continue to participate or not will have no effect on the services I receive from 

[NAME OF YOUR ORGANIZATION];

3. My home has been assessed by a representative of [NAME OF YOUR ORGANIZATION], who has 

determined that one or more new smoke alarms are needed;

4. A local fire department or staff or volunteer from [NAME OF YOUR ORGANIZATION] will visit 

my home and install new smoke alarms, which will be provided to me at no cost or obligation;

5. That certain information about me, such as my name, address, and phone number, will be 

shared with [NAME OF YOUR ORGANIZATION] and a local fire department to enable them to 

contact me for the installation service; 

6. That each smoke alarm being provided to me comes “as is” as a gift for which I have not paid or 

promised anything and that the smoke alarm was not manufactured by or altered in any way by 

[NAME OF YOUR ORGANIZATION] or the local fire department installing the fire alarm, none of 

which make any representations or warranties about its safety, use, condition, or reliability; and

7. That in exchange for this gift and free service, I hereby release, waive, discharge, and agree 

not to sue [NAME OF YOUR ORGANIZATION] or the local fire department installing the smoke 

alarm(s) for any claim of any kind (including claims for personal injury) that may result from 

my participation in this program or from the installation of such smoke alarm(s). 

Understood and agreed:

Signature Date

Name Witness

Adapted from: Residential Fire Homebound Elderly Lifeline Project (Fire H.E.L.P.), Meals On Wheels Association of America.
49

Handout 3

Home Assessment Scenarios
Home Assessment Scenario #1 

Miss Lewis is 70 years old and lives in a one-level condo that she owns in a new retirement 

community. She lives alone and has a home assistant who visits her twice a day. Miss Lewis’s 

condo has two bedrooms, a kitchen, a living room, and one bathroom. She sleeps in one bedroom, 

and the other one is a guest room that is used by her children when they come to visit from out 

of town. Her home has two smoke alarms, one in the living room near the kitchen and another 

outside of the two bedrooms. She tells you that they were installed last year and that the condo 

association told her that the long-life lithium batteries would be good for 10 years. Both of them 

work when you test them. 

 S = existing smoke alarm

Sleeping Room Guest Room

Living Room

Laundry

Kitchen
Home Assessment Scenario #2 

Mrs. Davis is an 85-year-old widow who lives with her sister in her sister’s house. Mrs. Davis’s 

sister, who is also widowed, is in her seventies. The house has two floors and a basement. The first 

floor has a family room, a kitchen, a bathroom, a fireplace, and a den that serves as Mrs. Davis’s 

sleeping room. The second floor has two bedrooms and one full bathroom. One of the bedrooms 

functions as her sister’s sleeping room, and the other room is a junk room. The two women have 

nailed the windows shut and blocked the escape door on the first floor for security reasons. One 

smoke alarm is in the family room, and another one is at the top of the second-floor stairs. The 

sisters do not know what kinds of batteries are in the alarms. Both women have children, but they 

live out of state and do not come to visit often. A younger neighbor helps them with shopping and 

chores once a week. 

 S = existing smoke alarm Shaded area = second floor

Basement

Kitchen

Dining Room

Mrs. Davis’ 

Bedroom

Towards 

Basement

FAMILY 

ROOM

Entrance

Door

Laundry

Sister’s 

Bedroom Bathroom

Closet

Second 

Floor

Junk Room
Home Assessment Scenario #3 

Mr. Jackson is 66 years old and lives alone in an older apartment complex. He has two grown 

children in the area who come to visit him a few times per week. The apartment has one bedroom 

where Mr. Jackson sleeps, one bathroom, a kitchen, and a combined living/dining room area. The 

apartment is on the first floor, and a sliding glass door in the living room leads out onto a terrace 

but is blocked by boxes. He has one smoke alarm in the living/dining room, and he tells you that it 

takes regular alkaline batteries. 

 S = existing smoke alarm
53

Handout 4

Smoke Alarm Installation Guidelines
Fire Safe Seniors

SMOKE ALARM INSTALLATION GUIDELINES

Steps for Installing the Smoke Alarm

Before leaving for your first installation, read the manufacturer’s instructions and ask questions of 

the program coordinator if something is not clear. 

Step 1: Determine the appropriate location for the alarms based on the results of the home 

assessment. Keep the following points in mind: 

• Do not place alarms in or very near kitchens or bathrooms or close to wood-burning 

stoves, clothes dryers, or other appliances, which normally become warm or give off 

dust or steam during operation. For example, steam from the bathroom can trigger 

smoke alarms to go off. If the alarm must be located near a kitchen or bathroom, try 

and place it as far away as possible to avoid nuisance alarms.

• Place alarms on the ceiling at least 4 inches from the nearest wall and at least 2 feet from 

the nearest corner. Do not install alarms within 2 feet of the corner of a room because 

the airflow in corners is restricted. 

• If installing alarms on the ceiling is not possible, install them on a wall at least 

4 inches, but not more than 12 inches, below the ceiling and 2 feet from the nearest 

corner. Install alarms on interior walls in mobile homes or other homes that are poorly 

insulated because the external walls may heat up in hot weather. 

• Locating alarms where they can be mounted by screws is preferable. Although alarms 

can be mounted by using double-sided tape, this method is not recommended because 

the tape can pull free if exposed to heat. Therefore, only use tape in situations where 

screws are not an option. 

Step 2: Test each smoke alarm before you install it. 

Step 3: Measure the distance between the screw holes on the alarm or on the mounting 

bracket/ring. Use a pencil to mark the distance on the ceiling or wall. (Skip this step 

if using double-sided tape.)

Step 4: Drill holes at the pencil marks. (Skip this step if using double-sided tape.)

Step 5: Use screws or tape to attach the alarm or the mounting bracket/ring. Mount the alarm 

in the bracket/ring (if applicable).

Step 6: Show the resident how to test the alarm and explain how to maintain the alarm. 

Encourage the resident to have someone test the alarm for him or her.
55

Handout 5

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.
57

Handout 6

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. 
59

Four-Hour Training Curriculum on Home Assessment, Smoke Alarm Installation, and Education | Facilitator’s Guide 

Appendix B

Posttest
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. A smoke alarm should be located in the following places: (Circle all that apply)

a. on every level of the home, including the basement

b. on every level of the home, excluding the basement

c. directly outside of every sleeping area 

d. in the kitchen

e. in every stairwell 

Fire Safe Seniors
6. In which of the following scenarios will we supply a new smoke alarm? 

(Circle all that apply)

a. The resident is missing a smoke alarm in a recommended area of the home.

b. The resident has a smoke alarm with non-lithium batteries that do not work.

c. The resident has a smoke alarm with non-lithium batteries that do work.

d. The resident has a smoke alarm with long-life lithium batteries that do not work.

e. The resident has a smoke alarm with long-life lithium batteries that do work.

f. All of the above.

7. How often should smoke alarm batteries be tested?

a. once a week

b. once a month

c. once a quarter

d. once a year 

8. If possible, residents should know way(s) out of every room in their home. 

a. one

b. two

c. three

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

 who have limited mobility.

a. true

b. false

10. 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

11. 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. 
12. Space heaters should be kept at least feet away from flammable objects:

a. two

b. three

c. five

d. six 

13. 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

14. 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.

15. 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
63

Appendix C

Evaluation Form
Fire Safe Seniors

T R A I N I N G O N H O M E A S S E S S M E N T, S M O K E A L A R M I N S TA L L AT I O N , A N D E D U C AT I O N 

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 home assessment tool and steps 1 2 3 4 5 

Home assessment exercise 1 2 3 4 5

Smoke alarm installation, testing, and maintenance (if applicable) 1 2 3 4 5 

Smoke alarm installation practice (if applicable) 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 skills, which 

were outlined in the training objectives?

Not 

Helpful 

At All

Very 

Helpful

Not 

Confident 

At All

Very 

Confident

Conduct a home assessment 1 2 3 4 5 

Install, test, and maintain a smoke alarm (if applicable) 1 2 3 4 5

Educate older adults about fire safety 1 2 3 4 5 
4. How effective were the trainers? 

Not

Effective 

At All

Very 

Trainer Name Effective

Trainer #1: 1 2 3 4 5 

Trainer #2: 1 2 3 4 5 

Trainer #3: 1 2 3 4 5 

5. What did you like best about the training?

6. What are your suggestions for improving the training?

7. Comments: 
Fire Safe Seniors Tool Kit 
67

Appendix D

Answer Keys
Answer Key: Home Assessment Scenario #1

Miss Lewis is 70 years old and lives in a one-level condo that she owns in a new retirement community. She

lives alone and has a home assistant who visits her twice a day. Miss Lewis’s condo has two bedrooms, a

kitchen, a living room, and one bathroom. She sleeps in one bedroom, and the other one is a guest room that 

is used by her children when they come to visit from out of town. Her home has two smoke alarms, one in the 

living room near the kitchen and another outside of the two bedrooms. She tells you that they were installed 

last year and that the condo association told her that the long-life lithium batteries would be good for 10 years. 

Both of them work when you test them. 

 S 

Sleeping Room Guest Room

Living Room

Laundry

Kitchen

 S 

Response: 

• For sleeping area #1, mark “main” for the level of the home.

• Mark “OK” in the second column because the home has two functioning lithium battery alarms 

that are less than 10 years old.

• The home does not have other sleeping areas or levels, so you are done with the assessment.

• The total of new alarms needed is zero. 

• Miss Lewis’s home has no escape barriers. 

• Under “home ownership status,” you should mark “resident owns home.” 

• The number of people living in the home is one.

• Do not check the box on the back of the form because no smoke alarms need to be installed.
U.S. Fire Administration
Answer Key: Home Assessment Scenario #2

Mrs. Davis is an 85-year-old widow who lives with her sister in her sister’s house. Mrs. Davis’s sister, who is

also widowed, is in her seventies. The house has two floors and a basement. The first floor has a family room, a

kitchen, a bathroom, a fireplace, and a den that serves as Mrs. Davis’s sleeping room. The second floor has two

bedrooms and one full bathroom. One of the bedrooms functions as her sister’s sleeping room, and the other

room is a junk room. The two women have nailed the windows shut and blocked the escape door on the first

floor for security reasons. One smoke alarm is in the family room, and another one is at the top of the secondfloor stairs. The sisters do not know what kinds of batteries are in the alarms. Both women have children, but

they live out of state and do not come to visit often. A younger neighbor helps them with shopping and chores 

once a week. 

Basement

Kitchen

Dining Room

Mrs. Davis’ 

Bedroom

Towards 

Basement

FAMILY 

ROOM

Entrance

Door

Laundry

Sister’s Bedroom Bathroom

Closet

Second 

Floor

Junk Room

 S = alarm that needs to be replaced

= Location where an alarm is 

needed but does not currently exist

Response: 

• For sleeping area #1, write “ground floor” for the level of the home, because we assume that this 

is the first sleeping area that you saw. The existing alarm is close to the sleeping area. Therefore, 

in the second column, write “NLB” because you do not know the battery type. Circle this alarm 

on the diagram.

• For sleeping area #2, write “2nd floor” for the level of the home. In the second column, write “NLB” 

because you do not know the battery type of the existing alarm. Circle this alarm on the diagram. 

• For the additional level, write “basement” for the level of the home. In the second column, write 

“AM” because the alarm is missing (there is no alarm). Put an “X” on the basement in the diagram.

• The total number of alarms needed is three.

• Under “escape barriers observed,” you should note that the windows on the first floor have been 

nailed down and the escape door is blocked with a heavy bookshelf. 

• Under “home ownership status,” you should check “resident lives in a home occupied by owner 

or owned by family member.” 

• The total number of people living in the house is two.

• Check the box on the back of the form to indicate that smoke alarms need to be installed.
U.S. Fire Administration
Answer Key: Home Assessment Scenario #3

Mr. Jackson is 66 years old and lives alone in an older apartment complex. He has two grown children in the 

area who come to visit him a few times per week. The apartment has one bedroom where Mr. Jackson sleeps, 

one bathroom, a kitchen, and a combined living/dining room area. The apartment is on the first floor, and a

sliding glass door in the living room leads out onto a terrace but is blocked by boxes. He has one smoke alarm 

in the living/dining room, and he tells you that it takes regular alkaline batteries. 

 S = alarm that needs to be replaced

Response: 

• For sleeping area #1, mark “main” for the level of the home. The existing alarm is near 

the sleeping area. Therefore, in the second column, write “NLB” because the alarm has an 

alkaline battery. Circle this alarm on the diagram because it needs to be replaced.

• The home does not have other sleeping areas or levels.

• The total number of alarms needed is one.

• Under “escape barriers observed,” you should note that the escape door is blocked with 

several boxes. 

• Under “home ownership status,” you should check the box that says “resident rents home.” 

• The total number of people living in the apartment is one.

• Check the box on the back of the form to indicate that a smoke alarm needs to be installed.
U.S. Fire Administration
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. A smoke alarm should be located in the following places: (Circle all that apply)

a. on every level of the home, including the basement

b. on every level of the home, excluding the basement

 c. directly outside of every sleeping area 

 d. in the kitchen

 e. in every stairwell 
6. In which of the following scenarios will we supply a new smoke alarm? 

(Circle all that apply)

 a. The resident is missing a smoke alarm in a recommended area of the home.

 b. The resident has a smoke alarm with non-lithium batteries that do not work.

 c. The resident has a smoke alarm with non-lithium batteries that do work.

 d. The resident has a smoke alarm with long-life lithium batteries that do not work.

 e. The resident has a smoke alarm with long-life lithium batteries that do work.

 f. All of the above.

7. How often should smoke alarm batteries be tested?

 a. once a week

b. once a month

 c. once a quarter

 d. once a year 

8. If possible, residents should know way(s) out of every room in their home. 

 a. one

 b. two

 c. three

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

have limited mobility.

 a. true

b. false

10. 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
11. 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. 

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

 a. two

 b. three

c. five

 d. six 

13. 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

14. 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.

15. 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 1 1 1 100

2 0 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 79

3 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 93

4 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 93

5 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 0 1 71

6 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 79

7 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 100

8 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 100

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

10 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 50

11 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 79

12 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 100

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

14 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 79

15 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 79

% correct 73 93 80 73 80 67 93 73 87 60 80 93 87 87 80%

79

Appendix E

Training Preparation Checklists
Fire Safe Seniors

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 along with their mounting screws and rings/brackets 

(one alarm for every three participants)

Stepladders (one per group of three participants)

Drills (one per group)

Screwdrivers (one per group)

Measuring tapes and pencils (one per group)

Safety goggles (one pair per group)

Pieces of wood for alarm installation practice (one per group)
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. 

Organize all of the smoke alarm installation materials in the area where you will be 

conducting the exercise.

Post-Training

Task Completed

Tally the results of the posttest.

Tally the results of the evaluation form. 

Make arrangements to observe the first home assessment conducted by trainees and provide 

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

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

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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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June 2010