Seniors & Fire Safety

Hot Topics with Hadley Fire @ Hadley Senior Center

1^st Thursday of each month starting: April 4, 2024 from 2:00 – 3:00pm. The Hadley Fire Department is pleased to announce the start of our “Hot Topics with Hadley Fire” program. This new social hour modeled after the famous “Coffee with a Cop” is for our Seniors and it begins on April 4, 2024. Held the 1^st Thursday of each month at the Hadley Senior Center, the goal will be for seniors to meet and greet the Fire and EMS personnel who protect and serve our community. ***This is not a platform for agendas or speeches. We want to offer our residents the opportunity to ask questions, learn and know your fire department and its members better.  Additionally, some planned fire safety presentations will be offered during this hour to help improve our citizens’ fire safety knowledge. Upcoming topics will include: Slip & Fall Prevention, Home Fire Escape Planning and Fire Safety While Traveling. Each month the event will be publicized in the Hadley Senior Center newsletter and on the Hadley Fire Dept. website and Facebook page. All Hadley Seniors are invited to attend.

Fire Safety for Senior Citizens

Did you know that people over the age of 65 are twice as likely to die or be injured in a fire than the population at large? By age 75 that risk increases to three times and by age 85, four times. Those are scary numbers, but you don't have to become another statistic. Just follow these important fire safety tips.

Smoke Alarms

• A working smoke alarm can more than double your chances of surviving a fire.
• Be sure to have a smoke alarm on every level of your home and in all sleeping areas.
• Make sure everyone in your home is awakened by the sound of the smoke alarm. If someone is hearing impaired, invest in an alarm that uses flashing lights or some other visual aid.
• Test your smoke alarms once a month. If this is difficult for you, ask a neighbor or family member to assist you.
• Change your smoke alarm batteries twice per year. A good rule of thumb to follow: change your clocks; change your smoke alarm batteries.
• Starting a few years ago, Massachusetts now requires any replacement smoke detectors that you install to have a sealed 10-year battery. This means you will still test them, but they do not need to be replaced. At 10 years, the entire device is replaced. 
• All new smoke detectors now have a manufacture date on them. Make sure yours are less than 10-years old.

Carbon Monoxide Alarms

• The law requires carbon monoxide alarms to be installed on every level of your home, including habitable portions of basements and attics, in most residences.
• On levels with sleeping areas, carbon monoxide alarms should be installed within 10 feet of bedroom doors.
• Carbon monoxide alarms may be Battery operated with battery monitoring, Plug-ins with battery back-up, Low voltage systems, Wireless, or Qualified combination Smoke/Carbon Monoxide alarms.
• Replace carbon monoxide alarms every 5 to 7 years, depending on the make and model.
• Newer CO alarms have a 10-year sealed battery that does not need changing. At 10 years, the entire device is replaced. 
• If you have a plug-in model, be aware that the battery will run down during an extended power outage and may need to be replaced. 
• For Landlords and Tenants – CO alarm info:
  • Nicole's Law also requires landlords to install and maintain carbon monoxide alarms in every dwelling unit that has a source of carbon monoxide.
  • Large apartment buildings, where there is no source inside of the individual apartments, may use an alternative method to detect carbon monoxide near the furnace, boiler rooms, or garage.

Fire Escape Planning?

If you are still using the same escape route you used when the kids still lived at home, it's time for a new one! Older adults and seniors need larger print documents, so we (Hadley FD) have created a 2-page Fire Escape Plan with grid just for Seniors. Scroll down to the bottom of this page for the free downloadable PDF. Share this with your family members.

• Sit down with all household members and discuss your escape plan.
• Plan at least two ways out of each room of your home, especially bathrooms.
• Consider any limitations you may have that would keep you from implementing your plan.
• If any family member will need assistance, remember to plan accordingly.
• Make sure that your exits are wheelchair or walker accessible, if necessary.
• Choose a meeting place outside near the front of your home.
• Put your plan to the test and practice it twice a year.
• Keep doors, windows and pathways clear of objects and furniture.
• Get out and stay out - NEVER go back inside for anything. Fire is hot and the smoke/gases from fire are toxic.
• Fires burn hotter and faster now due to materials used in homes and to make furniture. You have only a couple of minutes to escape a fire.
• ALWAYS KEEP THESE THINGS BY YOUR BED at night: wallet, keys, phone, glasses. You will not have time to get them from another area of your home during a fire.

Tips for Smokers

• Do you know what is the leading cause of fire deaths among Americans 65 years and older? It's careless smoking!
• Never smoke in bed.
• Do not smoke if you are feeling drowsy, if you are drinking or if you are taking medication that may make you drowsy.
• Use large deep ashtrays and never leave smoking materials unattended.
• Empty your ashtrays frequently, but never throw hot ashes in the garbage. Wet the contents of the ashtray and then dispose of them.

Electrical and Heating Safety

• Always install and maintain heating and electrical equipment properly.
• Do not store newspapers, rags or other combustible materials near a furnace, space heater, or hot water heater.
• Keep at least three feet between space heaters and things like curtains, furniture, etc.
• Do not run extension cords under furniture or rugs.
• Do not overload electrical outlets.
• Do not allow pets to chew electrical cords.
• NEVER plug any appliance, no matter the size, into an extension cord, power strip or surge protector. They are not designed to handle the electrical load required for appliances.

Kitchen Fire Safety

• Cooking fires are the leading cause of fire injuries among older adults.
• Never leave your stove unattended! Always be sure to closely watch what you are cooking.
• Keep your pot and pan handles turned inward.
• Do not reach above the stove for anything while cooking. This may require reorganizing your things in your cabinets so the items you need for cooking are not stored directly above the stove.
• Keep your curtains, oven mitts, pot holders, and towels away from the stove.
• If you have an oven fire, turn off the oven and keep the door closed.
• Keep you kitchen clean to cut down on grease buildup.
• Do not wear loose or frilly clothing while cooking.
• Never use water on a grease fire. Smother the fire with a lid or baking soda.
• Never use your stove as a heating device.

This content is free for use with credit to the Town of Hadley (MA) Fire Department.