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BOCA RATON, Fla.—ADT Security Services has put together a list of tips for dealers to provide to elderly customers in an effort to reduce home fire dangers.
People over the age of 65 have a home fire death rate nearly twice the national average, and the rate triples once they hit 75, according to the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA). In Canada, the Office of the Ontario Fire Marshall reports that seniors over the age of 65 accounted for 30 percent of all fire fatalities reported between 1999 and 2008.
In an effort to reduce fire danger in seniors’ homes, ADT offers the following advice:
- The American Burn Association recommends keeping eyeglasses, hearing aids and a flashlight close to the bed. Looking for these items during a fire can cost valuable, life-saving time.
- Never smoke in bed or while lying on the couch. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), smoldering cigarettes are the leading cause of fire deaths in the U.S.
- Never leave food unattended on the stove. When leaving the kitchen, take a wooden spoon or potholder as a reminder to return and turn off the oven and/or burners.
- Turn off space heaters when not in the room. Space heaters can be a serious senior fire safety risk. Be extremely cautious when using both space and kerosene heaters and always keep at least three feet between portable heaters and anything that can burn, including clothing, drapery, blankets, furniture, papers and even pets.
- Install smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and consider monitored detection services. According to the USFA, every year more than 1,200 senior citizens die in fires. Many of these fire deaths may have been prevented with monitored smoke detection services connected to a monitoring center that operates 24/7 and can alert seniors, their care givers and first responders to a home fire.
- Consider technology such as bedside fire alarm clocks and bed shakers. These are designed to awaken heavy sleepers and seniors with hearing loss.
“Taking home fire safety precautions can help keep seniors safe and can also mean the difference between life and death,” says Anndee Soderberg of ADT Security Services. “We hope these tips help seniors create their own fire safety plans so they can live longer and more independently in their own homes.”
