Smoking leading cause of fire deaths among elderly

During a chat with Jason Johnson, public education officer for the Bangor Fire Department, I learned something about smoking that surprised me. We all know it’s a dangerous habit, but seniors who smoke face one particular risk more often than their younger counterparts.

Smoking is the leading cause of fire deaths among the elderly, Johnson said. Decreased senses – which can prevent seniors from immediately smelling smoke – as well as inattention and prescriptions that can cause drowsiness or confusion may all be culprits.

“A cigarette could be dropped and start smoldering before they even realize it,” he said. “It may not necessarily be a big fire but they can die from smoke inhalation.”

If you smoke, the fire department suggests checking around furniture for discarded cigarettes that may have fallen, and using large, deep ashtrays. Before tossing the contents in the trash, soak the ashtray to be sure all smoking materials are extinguished.

And never smoke in bed.

Cooking tops the list as the number one cause of fire-related injuries among seniors, Johnson said.

“The most common problem is leaving the area to try and do other things,” he said. “Watch what you are cooking, because if you are right there, you can react quickly.”

He offers some other tips to make cooking safer:

. If you need to leave the stove, turn it off first.

. Should a grease fire occur, smother it with the lid of a pot. Never try to extinguish it with water, and it’s best not to use baking soda – which can splash back.

“Sometimes people panic and throw on anything white such as flour or sugar,” said Johnson. Small 5-pound fire extinguishers are available and would be a good investment, he said.

. If your clothes ignite, remember to stop, drop and roll. If this is physically impossible, keep a flame-retardant blanket nearby to smother the fire, while being careful not to fan it.

. Keep burners free of spills, grease build-up, even a teakettle. It is easy to turn on the wrong burner or forget to fill the kettle with water.

. Make sure pot handles are turned inward. This will help prevent the pot from being knocked off the stove, spilling the hot contents.

. Wear tight or short sleeves to prevent igniting your clothes on a burner.

. Keep towels, potholders and other items at a safe distance. Wooden spoons carelessly laid on the stove can ignite quickly if the handle comes in contact with a hot burner while the cook is talking on the phone, inattentive to the task at hand. (Don’t ask me how I know this – just take my advice and leave your wooden spoons on the sideboard.)

. Working smoke detectors are crucial to fire safety. Models are available with flashing lights for hearing-impaired individuals. It is also important to have a carbon monoxide detector, Johnson said. “It is the most common cause of poisoning in the country,” he added. “Symptoms include headache, nausea, vomiting and sleepiness. If you experience these, call 911.”

If you do call for help, make getting to your aid easier for emergency crews by putting large numbers on your house so they are visible from the street.

“We want to get there quickly. and nothing’s more frustrating than going by the place and having to turn around and go back,” Johnson said. “It’s a perpetual problem. It is very important for people living in the country, too. You can’t count on ‘Oh, everybody knows me out here,’ in an emergency.”

A few final points:

. Space heaters need at least 3 feet of space all the way around. Do not place heaters near anything flammable such as papers or clothing.

. Have an escape plan and make sure visitors, especially children, are aware of it.

. If you enjoy the ambience of candles, burn them on a stovetop.

. Make sure wood stoves and chimneys are properly maintained. The cleaning logs advertised on television are not a substitute for a good cleaning.

If there is a fire, get out – and then call the fire department. No fire is too small to call 911.

“We never come in and say ‘Why did you call us?'” Johnson said. “It’s more like, ‘Why didn’t you call us?'”

Carol Higgins is director of communications at Eastern Agency on Aging. For information on EAA programs and services, call the resource and referral department at 941-2865 or log on www.eaaa.org.