Seniors Safety

Fire Prevention Tips

Install smoke alarms and test them regularly

• Install a smoke alarm on every level of your home and outside of each sleeping area. For maximum protection, install a smoke alarm in every bedroom.
• You can request a free smoke alarm or help with testing your smoke alarms.
• Test smoke alarms monthly. For battery-operated smoke alarms change the batteries at least once per year. If you hear a “chirping” noise, change your battery right away.
• If you are hard of hearing, you can use a special smoke alarm, which may use a combination of light, vibration or sound.

Stay safe in the kitchen

• Never leave cooking unattended.
• Wear tight fitting or rolled up sleeves while you cook.
• Always cook with the pot handles turned in.
• Keep the stove surface clean and clutter-free.
• If a grease fire occurs, use a pot holder or oven mitts to carefully slide a lid or a cookie sheet over the pan. Turn off the burner.
• Never carry a burning pan.
• Install and learn how to use a portable fire extinguisher.

• Keep at least one metre (three feet) between space heaters and anything else.
• Materials like clothing can catch fire by brushing against some space heaters.
• In the case of fire, remember to STOP, DROP to the ground, cover your face, and ROLL.

• Use large deep ashtrays.
• Thoroughly soak cigarette butts in water before discarding.
• Never smoke in bed.

• Know two ways out of every room in your home, especially the bedrooms. Smoke or flames could block one of your exits.
• Make sure you have a meeting place outside.

• Make sure you can unlock and open windows and doors quickly, including those with security bars and deadbolts.
• If you need to escape from a second storey or higher, plan a safe way to get to the ground.

• Count the number of doors between your apartment and the nearest exit. During a fire, you may be unable to see the way.
• Never use the elevator; it could stop at the floor where the fire is.
• Use stairways to exit and close the doors behind you.

• Check doors before opening them. If they are hot, keep them closed and use an alternate route.
• Crawl low on the ground under the smoke, where it is easier to breathe.
• Once you are outside, stay outside. Never go back inside for anything.
• If escape is impossible, close doors between you and the smoke. Stuff cracks around doors and vents with towels or bedding.
• Call 911 and give the operator your exact location in your home.
• Stay low and signal for help with a flashlight or by waiving a bright towel or sheet.

Falls are the leading cause of serious injuries in older adults. They can lead to hospitalization, admission to a nursing home or even death.

• Learn about how to prevent falls and what to do if you fall.
• Find additional fall prevention resources for seniors.