Safety
The Importance of Electrical Safety Measures for Older Adults By Brett Brenner
Statistics show that home fires, from a variety of causes, result in a significant number of deaths and injuries each year. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), U.S. fire departments respond to an estimated average of 371,700 home structure fires per year. These fires cause an estimated average of 2,590 civilian deaths and 12,910 civilian injuries. Although electrical hazards plague the public at large, older adults are burdened with the grav- est risk. Adults over the age of 65 are more than twice as likely to die from a house fire as the general population, and this risk increases with age. Those 75 years of age and over are challenged with a risk that is 2.8 times higher, and adults over 85 are at a stagger- ing risk that is 3.7 times higher. As baby boomers enter retirement age, the United States Fire Admin- istration (USFA) has predicted that the percentage of older Americans will increase significantly, thus making a corresponding increase in fire deaths and injuries among older adults probable.
Electrical failures are a
leading cause of home fires every year, and electrical distribution and lighting equipment fires have been shown to increase in fre- quency with increasing dwelling age. Homes with aging electrical systems are at a heightened risk for electrical fires, posing a seri- ous risk for older adults who have
remained in the same home for an extended period of time.
Ac-
cording to the U.S. Census Bu- reau, half of the homes in use in the United States were built before 1973, which is long before many of the electronics and appliances we use today were even invented. Unfortunately, our increased de- mands for energy can overburden an older home’s electrical system causing fires or electrocutions. Many home electrical fires can be prevented by using more up-to-date technology and by rec- ognizing warning signs your home may be showing. Follow these easy safety tips to identify and prevent electrical hazards in your home: •
Regularly check all cords, outlets, switches, and appliances for signs of damage or wear. •
Use extension cords only
temporarily. •
Be sure that outlets that are not overloaded with too many devices. They can overheat and start a fire. •
electrical panel accessible so you can quickly shut off power in an emergency. •
Install smoke alarms on every level of your home. Place alarms inside each bedroom and outside each sleeping area. Test them once a month, change the batteries at least once a year, and replace the alarm itself every ten years. 76601
These vital tips are fea-
Look and listen for warning signs of an electrical problem such as outlets and switches that are warm, or make crackling, sizzling or buzzing sounds. •
Always replace fuses or circuit breakers with the correct size and amperage. And make sure all circuits are labeled cor- rectly. •
Consider having your
breakers upgraded to state-of-the- art AFCI circuit breakers. Keep the
tured in ESFI’s newly launched “Home Fire Safety for Older Adults Safety Awareness Pro- gram,” which provides tools to educate older adults and their families nationwide about home fire hazards related to cooking, heating, and electrical equipment. A full range of resources for older adults, including detailed fact and tip sheets as well as public service announcements, can be found by visiting
www.esfi.org/safetyeduca- tors. This effort is part of ESFI’s National Electrical Safety Month initiative, “Electrical Safety for All Ages,” which takes a multigenera- tional approach to electrical safety by encouraging family members of all ages to work together to iden- tify and correct potential home fire hazards. Visit
www.esfi.org/NESM
for ESFI’s full range of National Electrical Safety Month materials, which also include children fo- cused materials are part of its “Be Smart about Fire and Electrical Safety” program.
2 • Kay Electric Cooperative
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