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PDF requires adobe acrobat pdf reader. download Seniors and Fire return to main fire prevention page | home The kitchen is a high danger zone for fire, so be extra cautious when cooking. Remember not to leave food unattended on the stove. Don’t use the oven to heat your home. In addition to being a fire hazard, it can be a source of toxic fumes. Double-check the kitchen to be sure the oven and all appliances are turned off before going to bed. Don’t wear loose clothes or have curtains hanging near a hot stove. Never smoke in bed. Replace mattresses made prior to the 1973 Federal Mattress Flammability Standard. Keep flammable materials at least three feet away from your heater. Don’t overload electrical outlets with several appliances. In case of a fire, stay low to the ground, beneath the smoke, and have an escape plan already worked out. Install a smoke alarm on every level of your home. Check the batteries every month and change them at least once a year.

Did you know? Eighty percent of all fire deaths occur in the home. Americans over the age of 65 are one of the groups at highest risk of dying in a fire. Every year over 1,200 Americans over the age of 65 die in fires. People over the age of 80 die in fires at a rate three times higher than the rest of the population. Having a working smoke alarm more than doubles one’s chances of surviving a fire.