Application deadline for scholarships to attend is August 30
August 20, 2013 – The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 2013 Remembering WhenTM: A Fire and Fall Prevention Program for Older Adults conference will be held December 1-3 at the Marriott Long Wharf Hotel in Boston, Mass. NFPA will host representatives from up to 30 communities to attend the conference in Boston to learn how to reach older adults through group presentations and home visits. This will be the first group trained on the updated version of Remembering When that will be released in October.
Fire departments are asked to partner with an agency whose main outreach to older adults is through home visits. To be considered for a scholarship award to attend this conference, submit an application no later than August 30.
According to NFPA statistics, adults age 65 and older are twice as likely to be killed in a home fire compared to the general population, and falls are the leading cause of death from injuries to those in the same age group. NFPA hosts this conference annually as part of its ongoing effort to help reduce fires and falls among older adults.
Remembering WhenTM: A Fire and Fall Prevention Program for Older Adults, was developed by NFPA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to help older adults live safely at home for as long as possible. Together, NFPA and CDC created 16 key safety messages – eight fire prevention and eight fall prevention – to help educate and protect the most vulnerable of older adults. Each year, NFPA awards scholarships to establish partnerships between fire departments and home visit agencies for the implementation of Remembering When at the local level.
The training session includes helpful tips to prevent fires such as recommending that older adults who smoke should do so outside and never in bed. It reminds smokers that deep, sturdy ashtrays should be used while smoking and cigarette butts and ashes should be placed in water or sand before disposal. And when it comes to home heating, older adults are advised to keep space heaters at least 3 feet (1 meter) from anything that can burn and unplugged when no one’s home or at bedtime.
When it comes to preventing falls, the program reminds participants that taking it slow and regular exercise are the best defense. When getting out of chairs, it’s best to get up slowly and gain balance before walking. The training stresses the importance of exercising regularly to build strength and improve balance and coordination.
For more information on Remembering When: A Fire and Fall Prevention Program for Older Adults, talk to your local fire department.
About the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
NFPA is a worldwide leader in fire, electrical, building, and life safety. The mission of the international nonprofit organization founded in 1896 is to reduce the worldwide burden of fire and other hazards on the quality of life by providing and advocating consensus codes and standards, research, training, and education. NFPA develops more than 300 codes and standards to minimize the possibility and effects of fire and other hazards. All NFPA codes and standards can be viewed at no cost at www.nfpa.org/freeaccess.
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Contact: Lorraine Carli, Public Affairs Office: +1 617 984-7275