Over 50 Safety

If you don't have an escape plan, how are you going to safely escape your home when a fire occurs? How will you know that your loved ones are safe? Where is the proper place to call 911? Just a few minutes of planning can prevent a lifetime of regret.

Draw a basic diagram of your home, marking all windows and doors, and plan two routes out of each room. Make sure to routinely practice the escape plan. Preventable fire deaths can be reduced if families arm themselves with a map and a plan:

• Designate a meeting place outside and take attendance. Get out and stay out.
• Never open doors that are hot to the touch.
• Practice finding your way out of the house with your eyes closed, crawling or staying low and feeling your way out of the house.
• Remember to escape first, then notify the fire department.
• Teach your family to stop, drop to the ground and roll if their clothes catch on fire.

There are more home fires during the winter months of December, January and February than any other time of year. Heating devices like space heaters and wood stoves make homes comfortable, but they should be used with extra caution. Heating is the second leading cause of fire death and the third leading cause of injury to people ages 65 and older.

Many of these deaths and injuries could be prevented with safe heating practices. So, before you grab a good book and cozy up to the fireplace, make sure you do the following:

• Keep fire in the fireplace by making sure you have a screen large enough to catch flying sparks and rolling logs.
• Space heaters need space. Keep flammable materials at least three feet away from heaters.
• When buying a space heater, look for a control feature that automatically shuts off the power if the heater falls over.

When a fire breaks out, you have only seconds to escape its heat, black smoke and deadly gases. You can dramatically increase the chances of surviving a fire simply by installing and maintaining working smoke alarms in your home. This life-saving device can help alert you and your family to a fire and increase time needed for escape.

Follow these simple tips to help make your home a safer place:

• Change the batteries in your alarms at least once a year - perhaps when you change your clocks for Daylight Saving Time.
• Check smoke alarms monthly by pushing the test button; if you cannot reach the button easily, use a broom handle.
• If cooking smoke sets off the alarm, do not disable it. Turn on the range fan, open a window or wave a towel near the alarm.
• Place a smoke alarm on every level of your home and outside bedrooms. If you keep your bedroom doors closed, place a smoke alarm in each bedroom.
• Smoke alarms wear out over time. Replace yours if it is 10 years old or more.

Careless smoking is the leading cause of fire deaths and the second leading cause of injuries among people ages 65 and older. Cigarettes continue to burn when they are not properly extinguished. When a resting cigarette is accidentally knocked over, it can smolder for hours before a flare-up occurs. Before you light your next cigarette, remember:

• Don't put ashtrays on the arms of sofas or chairs
• Don't walk away from lit cigarettes and other smoking materials
• Never smoke in bed
• Put your cigarette or cigar out at the first sign of feeling drowsy while watching television or reading
• Use deep ashtrays and put your cigarette all the way out