- Author
- United States Fire Administration
- Title
- Fire Risks for Older Adults.
- Coporate
- U.S. Fire Administration, Washington, DC
- Distribution
- AVAILABLE FROM: U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), 16825 South Seton Ave., Emmitsburg, MD 21727. Telephone: 301-447-1000. Website: http://www.usfa.fema.gov
- Keywords
- elderly persons | fire risks | adults | fire safety | fire departments
- Identifiers
- tips for fire service professionals
- Abstract
- This report investigates the nature of the fire problem faced by older adults in the United States. It also describes the characteristics of the elderly that expose this subset of the population as a disproportionately high fire risk. For the purposes of this report, the terms older adult or elderly refer to any individual over the age of 65. This report is divided into three principal sections, the first of which analyzes the fire problems of older adults. This section discusses the growing elderly population, the number of fire casualties over the age of 65 each year, the characteristics of fires that injure the elderly, and the nature of elderly fire casualties. The second section discusses those aspects of the elderly population that place this group at such a high fire risk. Physical, cognitive, and behavioral changes associated with the aging process are discussed in relation to fire and burn injury incidence. In addition, demographic and socioeconomic variables commonly associated with the elderly population are evaluated as fire risks. The final section provides tips to fire service professionals for enhancing fire safety for people with disabilities. A reproduction-ready appendix presents fre safety tips. Fire service professionals may photocopy the appendix for use in public education activities.