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“Helping Seniors Be Safe”
Smoke Alarm Program
In 2001 and 2002, both the number of
fatalities and the fire death rate per 100,000 residents increased
dramatically, with 10-11 fire deaths occurring both years. In
response, AFD intensively studied local fire deaths and determined
that the core problem was inadequate maintenance of smoke alarms.
Survey data backed up this assessment, finding that about 16% of
Austin households had a high risk of not having a working smoke alarm.
The result was the development of a
massive public education program, geared to the general public, to
encourage the routine testing and maintenance of smoke alarms. The
general public was targeted because both the fire fatality and the
survey data indicated that the risk of having a non-working smoke
alarm occurred among many population subgroups. For two years in a
row, fire deaths dropped to historic lows for Austin, with only one
fire death each year.
But now fire deaths in Austin have
surged again, with ten fire deaths occurring in 2006. Analysis of the
most recent deaths has yielded a new insight: an emphasis on testing
smoke alarms, while appropriate for the general public, is not an
effective approach for the elderly, a population segment that
experiences both a high risk of fire death and barriers to effectively
maintaining battery-operated smoke alarms in their homes.
Similar to national statistics, the
elderly in Austin are significantly more likely to die in fires than
other population subgroups. In the 2000 Census, only 9% of the City’s
residents were over 60 years of age, yet that age group accounts for
38% of Austin fire fatalities since 2000 and 60% of those dying in
2006. Since 2000, eight of the fifteen fatalities involving older
victims involved persons in the 60-64 age group, while two were aged
65-74 years, and the remaining five were over 75 years old.
Housing characteristics are one factor
contributing to the high death rate among older Austinites. Nearly
three-fourths (71%) of older householders live in housing built before
1980, a much higher percent than found in the general population
(52%). Houses built before 1980 are likely, if they have smoke alarms
at all, to rely on smoke alarms powered by batteries instead of
hard-wired into the electrical system.
Also, due to the cognitive and sensory
declines associated with aging, nearly one-fifth (19%) of those with
smoke alarms who were over age 65 were unable to report when they last
changed smoke alarm batteries. A similar pattern of increased
forgetting associated with age was also observed in the earlier 2000
survey. Overall, only 70% of older respondents to the 2006 survey
reported that they both had smoke alarms and changed batteries at
least once a year.
Even when older persons remember to
change batteries, the process of doing so creates an additional
risk—the risk of falling while trying to reach alarms placed at or
near ceiling height. According to the Centers for Disease Control,
about one-third of the elderly experience falls in any given year.
Falls are the leading cause of injury death for people age 65 and
older and account for 95% of hip fractures.
Using 2000 Census data, AFD estimates
there are 28,500 householders in single family residences who are 60
years of age or older. It is unknown how many have or would need
battery-powered alarms, but the 71% percent living in houses built
before 1980 provides a minimal estimate of 19,800. Of those, we
estimate approximately 5,950 (30%) are at risk of not having smoke
alarms or of forgetting to change batteries annually. This leaves
another 13,850 that face fall risks from maintaining smoke alarms.
Among this latter group, there are likely a number that have older
alarms that are past their recommended replacement date.
In the past six months, AFD has worked
on developing partnerships with several local organizations whose
missions include serving the elderly. Activities arising from these
partnerships include:
1) Assigning firefighters to drive Meals
on Wheels routes twice a week to deliver meals, conduct home hazard
safety checks and install smoke alarms.
2) Making presentations at Senior Activity
Centers to advertise the smoke alarm program and sign up seniors for
smoke alarm installations.
3) AFD also partners with the City of
Austin PARD to provide an annual Senior Holiday Luncheon to serve free
meals to seniors. Brochures advertising free home hazard assessments
and smoke alarm installations are provided and seniors are signed up
at the luncheon to receive a smoke alarm. This year the luncheon is
being held at the Givens Recreation Center on December 1, 2007.
A primary activity during the grant
period will be the strategic marketing of the smoke alarm installation
program to other community agents who have regular contact with the
elderly. AFD seeks to install 2,500 dual-sensor smoke alarms along
with 3,155 10-year batteries. The extra batteries are based on AFD’s
Meals on Wheels experience to date, which shows that for every 100 new
alarms installed there are an additional 25 homes where only batteries
are needed because the existing smoke alarm is fairly new.
Because the elderly are at greater risk
of fall injuries, the smoke alarms installed will be low-maintenance
alarms with ten-year batteries that can be tested with a television
remote control, thus minimizing fall risks. In addition, a supply of
smoke alarms for the hearing impaired is also available for the high
level of hearing impairment among the elderly.
Based on this analysis, the Austin Fire
Department has developed an ambitious long-term goal – to provide
low-maintenance smoke alarms with ten-year batteries to every
householder over 60 years of age at risk of not having a working smoke
alarm.
If you are eligible or if you know
someone that qualifies for the “Helping Seniors Be Safe” program
please contact the Austin Fire Department Smoke Alarm Hotline at
974-0299.
Fire Chief Juan J. Adame
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