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Have Smoke Alarms That Work
Smoke alarms can become desensitized over time. If the alarms are 10 years old or older, replace them with new ones. Install at least one working smoke alarm on every level of the home and inside or near sleeping areas. Check with seniors to ensure that the smoke alarm is tested once a month and help them change the batteries in their smoke alarms at least once per year with batteries you can trust like Duracell®.
Check the Volume of Smoke Alarms
Make sure smoke alarms are loud enough for older adults to hear while sleeping. Test volume while elderly relatives are napping to ensure the sound will wake them.
Keep Escape Routes Clear
Clean out the clutter and move any furniture that may block an older adult's way or could be too heavy to move during a fire emergency. Every room should have two clear exit paths and a designated meeting place outside the home should be established.
Have a Fire Evacuation Plan
Whether aging relatives are living in an assisted living community or living in their own homes, make sure they are prepared with their own fire safety evacuation plan. Raise fire safety questions and concerns with assisted living management, or your loved ones directly to ensure they know the best way to evacuate their home in the event of a fire.
Keep Mobility Tools Nearby
If seniors use a wheelchair, walker, crutches or other types of mechanical walking aids, remind them to keep them near at all times. If possible, have extra aids, such as canes, available in different locations throughout the home.
Make Sure Cigarettes are Out
Smoking materials are the number one cause of home fire deaths. If seniors smoke, make sure they use fire safe cigarettes. These are designed to go out by themselves when no one is actually smoking the cigarette. The safest place to smoke is outside. Place large, deep ashtrays on sturdy tables. Tell seniors to wet cigarettes and cigar butts with water before putting them in the trash.
Check Hearing Aid Batteries Regularly
If a loved one uses a hearing aid, keep an extra pack of batteries with your emergency supplies. If battery power runs low, they have a spare on hand to ensure optimal hearing performance during an emergency.
Space Heaters Need Space
Ensure that seniors keep space heaters at least three feet away from things that can burn. Also, make sure they turn them off when leaving a room or going to sleep.
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