Our population is growing older.  Many of older adults are just as healthy and alert as ever.  Others are increasingly at risk of fire and burn injury.  We hope our program will make you more aware of these hazards and help you reduce them, in the lives of older adults. (Bridge) This program was prepared by professionals who are familiar with the fire and burn risks that face older adults.  Who would you expect that to be?

  Up to 4,000 people a year die from fire and burn injuries. Most die at the scene.   Most of those with severe fire and burn injuries who do not die at the scene are transported immediately to one of the 125 hospitals in the U.S. with specialized burn centers. Physicians, nurses, therapists and other members of the burn teams at these centers treat over 25,000 such admissions each year.   Burn specialists also care for many of the 600,000 burn injuries treated at hospitals emergency departments each year. Many of these injuries are referred to burn specialists after initial treatment at the hospital where they were first seen.

         If we can’t change attitudes, maybe we can at least develop  some protection against common fire and burn hazards in their lives. .  (Bridge) Let’s begin by looking at their leading causes of fire and burn death and injury to older adults. What are they? 

Smoking is not the most frequent cause of fire injury, but it causes the most deaths. Fires and burns resulting from electrical wiring and portable or fixed heating sources are common in the older adult population. (Bridge)  Let’s take a closer look at fire and burn injury risks related to smoking.

       Carelessly discarded or accidentally dropped cigarettes have long been the most frequent cause of fire death, 800 or more annually in recent years. Since the average age of those who die in such fires is over 55, these deaths are most common in older adults. The caution against smoking in bed, even if it’s observed, may not be enough of a warning against careless disposal of cigarettes. Even while sitting up, older smokers may be at risk of dropping lit cigarettes on their clothing or upholstery and not reacting quickly enough to prevent a fire from starting. The risk increases for older smokers who become drowsy from medications or alcoholic drinks. (Bridge)   What is the fastest growing cause of burn injury related to smoking?

          As home oxygen therapy has grown, so have the number of burn injuries involving portable oxygen equipment. These injuries typically happen when a smoker brings a match or lighter too close to the concentrated oxygen in the mask, cannula or tubing connected to their oxygen tank. The resulting explosion burns the facial area and usually causes even further damage to the lungs. All too often, oxygen-dependent smokers are unable to give up the habit which likely contributed to their illness. If confined to their home, they frequently  persuade sympathetic friends and relatives to make smoking materials available, despite the danger involved. When they leave their homes, smokers who depend on portable oxygen tanks should leave smoking materials behind and not bring their risk of oxygen explosions into public places, smoke-free or not.      (Bridge)   After smoking, what’s the most common source of burns to older adults? .... It’s cooking.

Grease in a pan or a sleeve contacting a stove burner can catch fire and cause a burn injury. Finally, burn injuries of any type can be accompanied by bone fractures if someone slips and falls or drops a container on their foot while carrying hot food or beverages.         There are many ways to reduce the risk of such cooking-related injuries to older adults. (Bridge)  Let’s begin by looking at precautions to keep your hands and body as safe as possible.  What are they? 

         You’re less likely to suffer any of these types of injury if you take these precautions before starting to cook.  -Wear short sleeves or close-fitting clothes to reduce the possibility of clothes catching on fire -Place potholders and oven mitts where they’re ready to use the moment you need them (Bridge)  Now that you’ve protected yourself ahead of time,   what precautions should you take in the cooking area before cooking?

Keep flammables, such as paper and cloth items, well away from the cooking elements and turn all pot handles away from the stove edge.         -Create a “kid-free zone for three feet around the zone, and if  other adults are present have them help you enforce it.        -Cook with rear burners to decrease the risk that a child might reach up and pull on a pot handle. If you are cooking with grease, keep the matching pan lid close at hand in case the grease catches fire. If grease ignites,  turn off the burner, slide the pan lid front to back over the fire to smother the flames, and do not lift the lid or move the pan until it cools completely. (Bridge) What about countertop cooking and microwave ovens?    

Make sure you leave enough space on your countertops to place pots and dishes when you’re transferring hot food.  With the increasing use of electric crockpots and fryers, countertops are increasingly crowded. Store elsewhere any items you rarely use. Appliances like these normally come with extensive safety directions.  Since we can’t cover all the safety guidelines for each appliance named in this program it’s very important that you read and observe the safety guidelines in these instruction booklets. We won’t repeat this for every appliance mentioned, but it’s very important. Keep countertop appliances far enough back from the counter edge to avoid the risk that they might be pushed off or pulled off by their cord. Young children or even your own movements could catch on the cord and spill scalding hot food.  Keep appliance cords short or coiled, and to the rear of the appliance if possible.  Since most countertop cooking appliances are now manufactured with short cords, place appliances where extension cords are not needed. (Bridge)  What should you do to keep safe while food is cooking?

      The safest cooking practice of all would be to never leave any cooking activity unattended.  However, this is not realistic. It is important to “stand by your pan” when you are frying, grilling, broiling or boiling.  When you’re roasting and baking, stay at home and use a timer as a reminder to check on cooking progress periodically. In case of a grease fire, put on the oven mitt you’ve kept handy and pick up the matching pan lid you’ve placed nearby. Slide the lid over the pan, moving it from front to back to protect yourself.   Don’t use a fire extinguisher, because burning grease could spatter elsewhere in the kitchen and cause further damage. In case of an oven fire, close the door, turn off the oven and wait until the oven has cooled down before opening the door.

Microwave ovens should be located on countertops, not mounted above the stove. Such devices should be located on countertops at an appropriate height for anyone in the household who might use them can reach them safely. Hot foods or beverages which are difficult to reach above the stove could spill while being removed and cause scald injury to the face and hands. Use only microwave-safe dishes and cookware to heat foods and beverages. Always allow food and beverages to cool down for a minute before removing them from a microwave oven. Mix combined or compartmented dish contents before serving. Microwave ovens do not always heat food evenly.

     The kitchen floor can become dangerous when food or beverages spill. Choose kitchen floor coverings with the safety of the surface in mind. Use non-slip mats near the stove and sink and wherever else you do most of your food preparation.   When you’ve spilled anything while preparing or cooking a meal, be sure to wipe it up immediately. A neglected spill could be a hazard later, when you’re serving food or cleaning up.  Finally, when you’re ready to serve cooked food, use oven mitts or heavy duty pot holders to pick up pots or serving dishes, and make sure your path to the kitchen or dining room table is unobstructed.  (Bridge) Scald injury can also result from hot tap water, in the kitchen or more likely in the bathroom.  How can we reduce this danger?   

      For the safety of everyone in the household, especially when it includes infants and older adults with thin skin, test the temperature of the undiluted hot water as produced by your heater. Begin by letting the water run until it feels hot. This could sometimes take a minute or two, or more, if the hot water heater is a long distance from your tap. Once the water is running hot, place a cooking thermometer under the running hot water tap for several seconds and record the temperature..

       Other safety equipment, designed mainly to help older adults or people with disabilities avoid falling, can also prevent scald injury. Grab bars on shower walls reduce the risk that someone slipping or fainting might grab a control valve on the way down, turning it to the highest temperature level while falling. After such a fall, someone could be trapped in scalding hot water. Shower chairs and non-slip mats serve the same purpose, by helping prevent falls into water that could be scalding hot. (Bridge)   Next we’ll look at electricity. What dangers relate to electricity use by older adults?

      Electricity is such an important part of our day-to-day living that it is almost impossible to imagine a world without it.       This slide lists some of the danger signs that can develop over time, often without notice, in a household’s electric wiring. Any of them could lead to fires that could cause serious injury and property damage. These danger signs include: (Bridge)  What action should be taken to address these hazards?  

It’s important not to overload individual wall outlets or extension cords with too many appliances.  If any wiring problem appears in a cord, an appliance or a circuit, a licensed electrician should be called on to rewire or replace the faulty appliance or household wiring. Such a repair visit would be a good time for an inspection of all household electrical switches, outlets, plugs and cords, especially in older adult households.   (Bridge)  Electrical hazards are especially dangerous in the room where an older adult who is ill or incapacitated spends most of their time. The room where they sleep may become crowded with medical equipment as well as its normal furniture.  What special precautions should be taken with respect to electrical equipment in such a sleeping area?

Always keep a route clear between the bed and the door in the room where older adults sleep. This will make it easier for them to get out, and for rescuers to get in, in case of fire. An older adult should always have essential items within easy access at the same place next to the bed in case of fire. This might include such items as eyeglasses, a telephone, flashlight, hearing aid and a personal alarm bell. There should be a working smoke alarm in the room, one specially designed for the hearing-impaired if necessary.   (Bridge) What safety precautions are important when using candles?

Portable heaters should be kept clean and kept at least 3 feet away from combustibles, including papers, upholstered furniture and piles of clothing.       Kerosene heaters should not be filled indoors or while they are hot. Indoor spills can gradually saturate the spill area and create a potential for ignition. This can happen if the area comes into a contact with a dropped cigarette, a spark from an electrical appliance or the flame of a heater or furnace pilot light.   Kerosene should be stored only in the blue cans designed and labeled specifically for kerosene. (Bridge)  The area around a house furnace also deserves attention.  What could be especially dangerous in the vicinity of a furnace?

Flammable liquids such as gasoline should be stored outside the residence, not in an enclosed area such as a basement or garage. Storing any combustible objects within 3 feet of a furnace is a dangerous practice. where a home’s furnace and water heater are normally located. Attention to keeping flammables and combustibles away from pilot lights is becoming more important as our garages and basements fill up with personal belongings. Home heating systems should be serviced annually.  Keeping them clean will make them last longer and reduce the risk of malfunctions that could result in a fire. (Bridge)  What should we know about the dangers of cleaning products?

Many cleaning products in common household use contain dangerous chemicals. If a product can dissolve dirt, it can dissolve  skin. Always protect your hands and arms from chemical burns by using heavy rubber gloves whenever you use strong cleaners. Always store solvents in their original containers, and discard leftover supplies on an annual basis. Don’t mix any cleaning products, especially those containing bleach and ammonia in the same cleaning process. An explosive chemical reaction could occur. Keep cleaning products away from young children, using locked cabinets with high storage shelves if possible. (Bridge) We’ve talked about many ways to avoid fire and burn injury.  But we still should be prepared in case a fire breaks out.   How can we reduce the potential impact of a fire?  

Test the door to your room or apartment to make sure it’s not hot.  If the door is cool, leave your room and stay as low as possible to avoid smoke.  If your door is one that automatically locks behind you, take your key in case your escape is blocked.  If you live in a building where you normally use an elevator, use the stairs instead to reach safety. If you cannot escape, call 9-1-1 and signal your location to fire rescue workers when they arrive.    Have you ever experienced a fire where you had to observe any of these rules?  Would you share your experience with us? (Bridge)   I hope you’ve learned, or have been helped to remember, many important guidelines to lead a life safe from fires and burn injury. I’d just like to emphasize some key points in each area we’ve discussed.

Scalds:  Set water heater thermostat to keep temperature from exceeding 120°F/38° Electricity: Repair or replace damaged wires, cords, plugs, appliances 
        Are there any others you would like to emphasize?  Any we’ve left out?