Maryland State Fire Marshal

News Release
Martin OMalley Governor

Brian S. Geraci State Fire Marshal

FIRE SAFETY AWARENESS FOR AGING ADULTS

PIKESVILLE, MD (November 1, 2013) -- The recent loss of lives involving senior citizens in Baltimore City is a grim remin er of the im!ortance of !racticing fire safety in the home" The #ffice of the $tate %ire &arshal re'(ests aging &arylan ers to ta)e s!ecial !reca(tions to !rotect themselves from the !otential of in*(ry or even eath res(lting from scal b(rns an fire relate in*(ries" The aging process can be difficult enough without having to recover from injuries related to smoke and thermal burns, state $tate %ire &arshal Brian $" +eraci" Everyone needs to assume responsibility and take the initiative to protect themselves from needless injuries resulting from these hazardous issues. ,ging a (lts are a fast gro-ing segment of the ,merican society an are at a serio(s ris) of receiving long term in*(ries an !ossibly eath from e.!os(re to smo)e an high heat con itions" The inability to esca!e the effects of fire beca(se of !hysical limitations an /or (se of me ications is of consi erable concern, thereby, !erforming safe !ractices an having an esca!e !lan are essential to the '(ality of life" By !racticing scal an fire safety, aging a (lts can re (ce their chance of enco(ntering a ebilitating in*(ry or eath" 0lease ta)e the time no- to get involve in the health an safety of o(r aging !o!(lation" $trong bon s bet-een families, frien s an neighbors are an e.tremely im!ortant factor in !rotecting love ones an frien 1s from the effects of fire" 2hen visiting at family members an neighbors1 homes, ta)e time to revie- fire !revention an life safety meas(res -ith each other to hel! ens(re a trage y is avoi e " 0lease follo- an share the liste ti!s an g(i elines to hel! !rotect all citizens, regar less of age, from a fire or b(rn relate in*(ry"

Before a Fire Occurs

I e!"if# "$e Neares" E%er&e!c# E'i"( 2hether yo( are at home or else-here, yo( sho(l al-ays )no- the location of the nearest e.it" This 0age ) of *

co(l save yo(r life in an emergency" +ee Fire Safe"# a! Desi&! Gui e,i!es( 2al)-ays an oor-ays sho(l accommo ate any mobility im!airment an in ivi (al may have" %or e.am!le, oor-ays sho(l accommo ate a -heelchair1s -i th, an flooring material sho(l accommo ate artificial limbs, -al)ers, or canes" I!s"a,, a! Tes" S%o-e A,ar%s( #ne im!ortant ste! yo( can ta)e to save yo(r life (ring a fire is to install a smo)e alarm that s(its yo(r nee s" , -or)ing smo)e alarm can ma)e a vital ifference in the event of a fire an may re (ce the ris) of ying in a fire by as m(ch as 30 !ercent" , !ro!erly f(nctioning alarm can alert yo( to the !resence of ea ly smo)e -hile there is still time to esca!e" 0lace alarms in each slee!ing area an on every floor of yo(r home" 4ee! smo)e alarms clean by vac((ming or having them vac((me reg(larly" Test the alarm f(nction monthly, an re!lace the batteries ann(ally" ,s) frien s, family members, b(il ing managers, or someone from the fire e!artment to install an test the batteries of a smo)e alarm if it is har to reach" 2hen re!lacing battery only smo)e alarms, have 10-year lithi(m seale -in battery alarms installe " 5f yo(r smo)e alarms are har -ire (connecte to the electric circ(itry of yo(r resi ence), ma)e s(re they are also e'(i!!e -ith battery bac)(!s" Aging smoke alarms may not operate efficiently and often are the source for nuisance alarms. $mo)e alarms sho(l be re!lace every 10 years to ens(re o!timal effectiveness" .o!si er ,i/i!& i! a $o%e 0ro"ec"e 1# resi e!"ia, fire s0ri!-,ers( 6esi ential fire s!rin)lers are a !roven life saving evice in the event a fire occ(rs" The '(ic) action of these life saving evices !rovi es the a itional time nee e to esca!e the effects of fire" 5n many cases, a single fire s!rin)ler hea activates an e.ting(ishes the fire !rior to the arrival of the fire e!artment" +a/e a Fire E'"i!&uis$er a! Lear! +o2 To Use I"( 5f yo( are confine to a -heelchair, consi er mo(nting (or having someone mo(nt) a small 7!ersonal (se8 fire e.ting(isher in an accessible !lace on yo(r -heelchair an become familiar -ith its (se" Then, if yo( cannot 7sto!, ro!, an roll8 (ring a fire, yo( sho(l 7!(ll, aim, s'(eeze, an s-ee!"8 Li/e Near a! E'i"( 5f yo( live in an a!artment b(il ing, try to get an a!artment on the gro(n floor" 5f this is not !ossible, )no- -here the e.it stair-ell is an !lan to -ait there for hel! if yo( cannot ta)e the stairs in the event of a fire" If #ou ,i/e i! a %u,"i3s"or# $ouse, "r# "o s,ee0 o! "$e &rou! f,oor( &a)e s(re a !hone (or a TT9/T:: if yo( (se one) is ne.t to yo(r be , -ithin arm1s reach" 4ee! emergency tele!hone n(mbers an hearing ai s (if necessary) han y as -ell" 5f necessary, constr(ct an e.it ram! for emergency e.its" (%ollo- local b(il ing co es as !rovi e by yo(r b(il ing !ermits office)" P,a! a! Prac"ice Your Esca0e P,a!( 4no-ing an !racticing yo(r esca!e !lan is one of the most im!ortant ste!s yo( can ta)e to save yo(r life in a fire" P,a! #our esca0e arou! #our ca0a1i,i"ies( 4no- at least t-o e.its from every room" &a)e s(re yo( can (nloc) all yo(r oors an -in o-s" Be s(re yo( )no- ho- to o!en yo(r -in o-s" 5f sec(rity evices, s(ch as bars, are installe across the -in o-s, ens(re that they release from the insi e" &a)e any necessary accommo ations (s(ch as installation of e.it ram!s) to facilitate esca!e" 0age 4 of *

I!/o,/e "$e Fire De0ar"%e!"( ,s) the fire e!artment to hel! yo( !lan an esca!e ro(te, an inform them of yo(r s!ecial nee s" ,s) the fire e!artment to hel! i entify any fire hazar s in yo(r home an e.!lain ho- to correct them" ,ny areas yo( !lan to (se as a resc(e area m(st be i entifie an agree (!on by yo( an officials from the fire e!artment" ;earn the fire e!artment1s limitations, an ma)e fire officials a-are of yo(rs"

uring a Fire
Ge" Ou" a! S"a# Ou"( ;eave yo(r home as soon as !ossible" :o not try to gather !ersonal !ossessions or attem!t to e.ting(ish a fire" :o not (se the elevator" #nce o(t, o not go bac) insi e" Tes" "$e Doors Before O0e!i!& T$e%( <sing the bac) of yo(r han , reach (! high an to(ch the oor, the oor)nob, an the s!ace bet-een the oor an the frame" 5f anything feels hot, )ee! the oor sh(t an (se yo(r secon e.it" 5f everything feels cool, o!en the oor slo-ly an e.it as lo- to the gro(n as !ossible if smo)e is !resent" S"a# Lo2 a! Go( Cra-l lo- an )ee! (n er the smo)e, if yo( are !hysically able" 5f not, try to cover yo(r mo(th an nose to avoi breathing to.ic f(mes, an ma)e yo(r -ay to safety as '(ic)ly as !ossible" W$a" "o Do If You Are Tra00e ( Close all the oors bet-een yo( an the fire" %ill crac)s in oors an cover all vents -ith a am! cloth to )ee! smo)e o(t" 5f !ossible, call the fire e!artment an tell them -here yo( are locate " $ignal resc(ers from a -in o- -ith a light-colore cloth" S"o0, Dro0, a! Ro,,( 5f any !art of yo( catches fire, o not r(n an o not try to e.ting(ish the flames -ith yo(r han s" Cover yo(r face -ith yo(r han s" :ro! to the gro(n , rolling over an over" 5f yo( have a isability that !revents yo(r ta)ing these actions, try to )ee! a flame-resistant blan)et or r(g nearby to smother any flames"

Fire a! Sca, Pre/e!"io!

.oo-i!&( Never leave the stove (natten e -hile coo)ing" 5f yo( nee to ste! a-ay from the stove, t(rn it off" 2ear tight-fitting clothing -hen coo)ing, an )ee! to-els an !othol ers a-ay from contacting the heat so(rce" 5f foo or grease catches fire, smother the flames by sli ing a li over the !an an t(rning off the heat" :o not try to (se -ater to e.ting(ish a grease fire" 2hen ee!-frying, never fill the !an more than one-thir f(ll of oil or fat" 5f the oil starts to smo)e, it is too hot" <se a thermometer to monitor the tem!erat(re of the oil" Never !(t foil or other metals in the micro-ave" &a)e s(re the stove is )e!t clean an free of grease b(il (!" T(rn !ot han les a-ay from the front of the stove so they cannot be )noc)e off or !(lle o-n" Chec) the interior of the oven for store items before t(rning it on"

0age 5 of *

E,ec"rica, Safe"#( =lectric blan)ets sho(l conform to the a!!ro!riate stan ar s an have overheating !rotection" :o not -ash blan)ets re!eate ly as this can amage their electrical circ(itry" 5f an a!!liance begins to smell s(s!icio(s or emit smo)e, (n!l(g it imme iately" 6e!lace all fraye or bro)en electrical cor s" Never (se an a!!liance -ith e.!ose -ires" Never overloa e.tension cor s, an )ee! them o(t of traffic areas" <se only electrical evices eval(ate by a nationally recognize laboratory s(ch as <n er-riters ;aboratories (<;)" S%o-i!&( 5f choosing to smo)e, consi er smo)ing o(t oors" Never smo)e in be " &a)e s(re that yo( are alert -hen yo( smo)e" 5f me ical o.ygen is in (se, o not allo- smo)ing any-here insi e the home" 0lace signage stating that o.ygen is in (se to -arn visitors that smo)ing is not allo-e " Never smo)e -hile (sing me ical o.ygen, o.ygen enriche hair an clothing can '(ic)ly ignite an b(rn ra!i ly" :o not smo)e -hile (n er the infl(ence of alcohol or if yo( are ta)ing !rescri!tion r(gs that can ca(se ro-siness or conf(sion" Never leave smo)ing materials (natten e , an e.ting(ish them in large, ee! ashtrays" Chec) aro(n f(rnit(re, es!ecially (!holstere f(rnit(re, for any iscar e or smol ering smo)ing materials" $oa) the ashes in the ashtray before iscar ing them" S0ace +ea"ers( +ive s!ace heaters s!ace" 4ee! heaters at least 3 feet from any comb(stible material, incl( ing !eo!le" %ollo- the man(fact(rers1 irections regar ing o!eration, f(eling, an maintenance of yo(r s!ace heater" :o not (se heaters or other heating evices to ry clothing" +ea"i!&( >ave yo(r heating systems an chimneys chec)e an cleane ann(ally by a !rofessional" Never store f(el for heating e'(i!ment in the home" 4ee! f(el o(tsi e or in a etache storage area or she " Fire0,aces( #!en fire!laces can be hazar o(s? they sho(l be covere -ith tem!ere glass oors an g(ar e by a raise hearth @ to 1A inches high" Wa"er +ea"er Te%0era"ure Se""i!&( =ns(re the -ater heater tem!erat(re is set bet-een 120B-12CB to hel! !revent scal b(rns from -ater coming from the ta!"

666

The #ffice of the $tate %ire &arshal is an agency of the :e!artment of $tate 0olice e icate to hel!ing !rotect citizens from fire an e.!losion thro(gh a com!rehensive !rogram of e (cation, ins!ection, investigation an fire !rotection engineering" %or more information on fire safety call 1-A00-C2C-312D, log onto o(r -ebsite atE ---"m s!"org/firemarshal an /or htt!E//faceboo)"com/&arylan $tate%ire&arshal"

&e ia contactE Br(ce :" Bo(ch, :e!(ty $tate %ire &arshal? DD3-32D-3AF3

0age * of *