Fire Safety Tips for Seniors

ire safety is a crucial part of maintaining a home. Without taking the proper steps, it’s possible for a home to catch on fire, causing life-threatening flames, damaging property, and causing financial devastation.

While fire safety cannot prevent all home fires from happening, a few simple steps can dramatically reduce the chance of their happening. Read on to discover how you can prevent a fire from happening in your loved one's home.

Make sure your smoke alarms are up to date

Test your smoke alarm each month by pressing the button. If the button doesn’t emit a loud sound, it might not work properly in the event of an emergency.

Have a professional install smoke alarms on every level of your home

If a fire begins in any area of your home, an early warning is crucial to your ability to escape the flames in time. A smoke alarm will help you have enough time to escape your home.

Have a planned route of escape

If a fire does occur and you have to escape your home, it’s imperative to have a plan. Make sure that you know the route to get out of the flames. Do not stop to collect anything, but keep moving as quickly as possible towards the exit.

Have you or a loved one look over old electronics

Older cords, frayed cords, or older devices have a higher chance of catching on fire. If any of your electronics cords are frayed or have exposed wires, it’s time to replace them.

Don’t burn candles at night

A more obvious piece of advice is to not leave candles burning without supervision, especially at night.

Have chimneys and heating systems serviced by professionals

Trained professionals can reduce your home’s chance of catching on fire by cleaning out your heating systems.

Taken together, these tips can help you escape from a fire if one arises, as well as help prevent a home fire from happening in the first place. If you don’t have a plan of escape, ask the people who live with you about their plans. It’s a good conversation to have before it’s too late.