According to the United States Fire Administration (USFA), older individuals are nearly three times more at risk than others to die in a home fire. In 2010, senior citizens that were 65 years of age or older made up roughly 13 percent of the population in the United States. In that same year, more than one-third of them lost their lives in fires. The USFA also says that men who are 65 years of age or older are nearly two-thirds more likely to be involved in a fire-related death than females of the same age. With the risk so high, it is critical that older adults know a few fire safety tips to help protect themselves. Here are three of the most important:
1. Hire an Electrician to Inspect Your Electrical System Every Decade.
Every 10 years, it is time to conduct a full inspection of your home's electrical system. This is not something that should be done by yourself, your son, your daughter, or any other family member, unless he or she is a licensed electrician. As you get older, your electrical needs will change, and these inspections help to ensure that your system stays up-to-date with those needs. In some cases, small adjustments may be necessary.
2. Keep a Whistle, Your Glasses and a Phone by Your Bed at Night.
A whistle will help you notify firefighters where you are in the house in case you weren't able to get out, or it can help alert others inside the home that there is a danger. Your eyeglasses will help you see well so that you don't injure yourself as you are trying to escape the home. The phone will ensure that you can call for help when you become aware of the fire danger or to request help if you can't get out of the room that you are in.
In fact, try to make sure that these items are near you at all times. For example, if you sit in the same chair the majority of the day every single day, then you may want to make sure that the home phone is set-up there. You can keep a whistle around your neck at all times, and your glasses shouldn't be too far away. You could always get two pairs so that one is by your bedside and the other is by the chair that you sit in.
3. Consider Having a Professional Fire Alarm Security System Installed.
If you are an older individual (even if you aren't quite considered a senior citizen just yet), it is crucial that you consider having a fire alarm system installed in your home. The best of these systems are hard-wired into the home and come with carbon monoxide, smoke and heat detectors that are constantly monitored by an in-house or third-party command center, which is notified as soon as the detectors go off. This is one of the best ways to keep yourself and anyone in your home Safe from harm and provide your family outside of the home with some peace of mind that you are safe.
Remember, when a fire occurs, every single second is an important one. Take care of yourself by contacting a fire alarm installation company at your earliest convenience.
Share26 August 2015
A couple of years ago, two men broke into three churches in my neighborhood one night. During their horrible escapade, they stole expensive cameras and musical instruments. They also committed thousands of dollars of vandalism damage at these three places of worship. After finding out about this unspeakable act, my whole community was shaken. Sadly, none of these churches had security systems on the night of this savage event. If you are the pastor of a place of worship, you should seriously consider installing a state-of-the-art security system at your church. On this blog, you will discover the best types of security systems to install at a place of worship.
