Fires and burns are among the leading causes of unintentional injury deaths in the United States, and the majority of them occur in homes. Smoke alarms decrease the chances of dying in a house fire by up to 50 percent. But one-quarter of U.S. households lack working smoke alarms, and the people least likely to have an alarm are often those at high risk of being injured in a fire.
When compared with the rest of the population, older adults are at much higher risk for residential fire deaths. Other groups who are disproportionately affected include the poorest Americans and those who live in rural areas.
To reduce
fire-related injuries and loss of life and property among homebound
older adults,
CDC has partnered with
Meals On
Wheels Association of America (MOWAA) and the
International Association of Fire
Chiefs (IAFC)
to develop
and implement the Residential Fire Homebound Elderly
Lifeline Project (Fire H.E.L.P.)
Fire H.E.L.P. consists of three major components:
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home screening for smoke alarms;
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education on fire risk factors and the importance of smoke alarms and escape planning; and
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installation and periodic testing of free smoke alarms with long-life lithium batteries.
Meals On Wheels (MOW) programs have regular contact with homebound elderly clients through the home delivery of meals. Fire H.E.L.P. will use this opportunity to distribute smoke alarms to the older adults who need them in their home; the alarms will be installed by local fire departments. The project will also provide these men and women with the knowledge and skills needed to prevent a fire in the first place.
Starting in November 2007, the Fire H.E.L.P. project is being pilot-tested at MOW programs in five Texas communities. If the pilot project is successful, MOWAA hopes to replicate it throughout Texas and ultimately across the country.
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Listen to a message about the Residential Fire H.E.L.P. partnership from Dr. Ileana Arias, Director of the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. |
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Additional Information About Residential Fire Safety
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Fact Sheet
Provides an overview of the problem of residential fire-related injuries in the United States, including risk factors and costs. -
Prevention Tips
Presents home fire prevention tips for you and your family. -
CDC Activities
Highlights CDC-sponsored projects aimed at preventing residential fire-related injuries and deaths.
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Page last modified: November 20, 2007