Victoria’s Metropolitan Fire and Emergency Services Board fire safety initiative for seniors

Twelve separate fire services around Australia, led by the Melbourne Fire Service, have developed a national initiative to embed basic home fire safety into community services training for those working with the elderly living at home.

Commander Frank Stockton from Melbourne, outlined the initiative at the Aged and Community Services National Conference in Melbourne last week.

The project was inspired by the fact that while those over the age of 65 comprise only 13% of the population, they make up 23% of fire related deaths in the home around Australia.

The growing numbers of older people continuing to live at home, with increasing frailties and disabilities raises the risk of fire fatalities in the community.

The project is a partnership of fire services to raise the profile of basic home fire safety within the community care sector and assist it to support older people to remain safely in their homes.

Increasing community care workers’ knowledge of smoke alarms, fire risk factors and emergency egress has the potential to raise awareness by older people of basic home fire safety issues.