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Senior Fire and Life Safety Program

** Due to recent budgetary cuts within the City of Phoenix, the Senior Outreach Program no longer exists. However, information on fire and life safety is available by calling 602-262-6910. More programs for seniors are available through the City of Phoenix by clicking HERE.

For a printable "Safety for Seniors" brochure, click HERE.

To download a copy of the 2002 Senior Program Book, click HERE.

For a printable Emergency Information and Personal Medical History form, click HERE.

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Program Description

In 1996, the Phoenix Fire Department recognized the need for a special team to concentrate efforts on fire safety education for senior citizens in the city. Members of the Fire Department formed a Senior Outreach Team and included many public and private agency representatives as team members.

The goal of this team is to provide fire and life safety information to seniors. The program includes safety information to prevent fires, trips and falls in the home as well as smoking a space heater safety.

Marketing the Program

All materials used for the senior population are done in a larger type font for ease of reading. A fire escape plan is specifically prepared for each city residential facility and is provided to the residents. The fire plans have been translated into numerous languages including Chinese, Rumanian and Spanish.

To date Fire Department personnel have presented fire and life safety information to over 4,000 seniors in the City of Phoenix.

Statistics

National:

Senior adults are the fastest growing segment of the population. Approximately 13% of all Americans are over age 65. Statistically, persons in this age group are twice as likely to die a fire related death than the general population. Persons age 75 and older are three times as likely to suffer a fire related death and persons age 85 and older are four times more likely. The three leading causes of home deaths among the senior population are:

• Trips and falls in the home
• Fires caused by portable space heaters
• Smoking and cooking fires

Sixty percent of fatal falls in the senior population occur in the home, and falls account for 87% of all bone fractures in the elderly.

Safety Tips for Seniors

Safety Around the Home:

• Have at least one working smoke alarm
• Test the smoke alarm once a month
• Change the battery once a year
• Have a working light outside your front and back doors
• Have emergency information readily available
• Clearly label all medicine

In Case of Fire:

• Know where the exits are
• Practice getting out safely
• Crawl low under smoke
• Call 9-1-1 from a neighbor's house

If Your Clothes Catch on Fire:

• Stop, drop and roll or smother the fire with a blanket, towel or rug
• If you get burned, seek medical attention

Smoking:

• Use a large non-tip ashtray
• Empty ashes often
• Dampen ashes before emptying into a garbage can
• Empty ashes into a metal container
• Do not smoke when using oxygen
• Do not smoke in bed

In the Bathroom:

• Use non-slip rugs
• Have a grab bar, rubber mats or non-slip strips in your tub or shower
• Do not have electronic items plugged-in where they could fall into water (like a bath-tub, shower or sink)

In the Kitchen:

• Keep lids near by when cooking
• If your pan catches on fire, carefully slide a lid on the pan and turn off the stove
• Wear clothes with short or close-fitting sleeves, when cooking
• If you leave the kitchen while cooking, turn off the stove

In the Living Room:

• Use electrical outlets whenever possible, not extension cords
• Extension cords should be used on a temporary basis and MUST be UL approved
• Use furniture with safet sturdy legs
• Keep the floor clear of obstacles, so trips and falls are avoided

In the Bedroom:

• Keep floor uncluttered to prevent trips and falls
• Keep house keys, eyeglasses, a flashlight and a telephone next to your bed

Concerns for Seniors with Disabilities

Some of the alternative emergency recommendations for seniors with disabilities include:

• If a persons clothes catch on fire and the person is unable to "stop,drop and roll" to smother the flames, he or she can use a blanket, rug, towel, etc. to smother the flames
• In case of a fire not in the disabled persons apartment or in the nearby vicinity, or if the persons mobility is impaired and are unable to exit, the suggestion is to signal from a window by hanging a towel, sheet or rug near the window or shine a flashlight at the window
• If the person is able, put a rug, towel, sheet or blanket at the bottom of the door to help keep out the smoke

Evaluation

The Phoenix Fire Department's Senior Program Guide has detailed information on senior fire and life safety. The methods of evaluation used to validate the effectiveness of the safety information presented are also included in the program guide.

Senior Team Awards

• April 1999 - Excellence Award by the City of Phoenix. These prestigious annual awards are given to select groups and/or individuals for their excellence in providing a valuable service to the citizens of the City of Phoenix.
• October 2000 - 19th Annual Dr. R. Alice Drought Award - A community awardbased on the work directed toward the betterment of older adults and the aging community.