Never smoke when lying down, if you are drowsy or in bed. If a pot catches fire, cover it with a lid and turn off the burner. Never leave cooking unattended. If clothing catches fire, lower yourself to the ground, cover your face with your hands and roll over and over to put out the flames. If you can't do this, grab a towel or blanket to smother the flames.
Smoke always rises, so get down on the floor where the air is cleaner.
Crawl on your hands and knees to safety. A slight brush against a heater could set clothing on fire. There is help in your community. Gilbert's office has a special program, Older and Wiser, a kit that includes a slide presentation, brochures and other tools to teach older people how to protect themselves. Gilbert, who was involved in making Older and Wiser, was also on a U.S. National Fire Protection Association task force which developed a fire-safety program for older adults called Remembering When.