Understand Everyone's Risks and Abilities

A home fire is fast, dark and deadly. Who wouldn't be frightened or disoriented? Consider how much more difficult it would be to make life-saving decisions if the alarm were to wake you from a sound sleep and you must get yourself and your loved ones out of a dark, smoky house.

Escaping a fire is a challenge for anyone, day or night. But consider how difficult it must be for someone who has a functional limitation that restricts his or her ability to detect a fire or get out quickly.

Functional limitations exist in all age groups and can range in severity. For example:

• An 18-year-old who sleeps soundly may not hear an alarm.
• A 40-year-old who has consumed too much alcohol may stay and try to fight the fire.
• A 68-year-old may have limited ability to escape because of a jogging injury.

The first step in escape planning is to understand everyone's abilities and limitations.

Children
Persons with Physical Limitations
Older Adults

Children

Children often have limitations that hinder their ability to escape.

• They have less control over their environments.
• They have limited ability to react appropriately to a fire.
• They are often asleep at the time of a fire.
• They may be too inexperienced to know how to escape safely.

Persons with Physical Limitations

Anyone who has a hearing, vision or mobility limitation may have difficulty escaping a fire.

• Persons who have hearing difficulties may not be alerted to fire dangers.
• Loud smoke alarms may make it difficult for visually impaired persons to process audible clues or instructions over the piercing sound.
• People who have limited mobility may have to rely on the physical assistance of others in order to escape safely.

"I have arthritis in my knees, and I can't walk very fast…If I had gone to her, that would have been the end of me, but I would have gone if I could have saved her." Myron Korach, fire survivor

Older Adults

Normal age-related changes cause minor functional limitations that increase fire risk, even in the healthiest older adults. These changes and their resulting limitations include:

• Changes in reflexes, strength, and dexterity may cause slower reaction times.
• Changes in skin can diminish the awareness of pain and compromise healing.
• Decreased lung capacity can increase the severity of a smoke inhalation injury.

In addition, disease-related conditions may be more prevalent in later life. These conditions are the primary cause of some functional limitations that would put someone at greater risk in a fire, such as changes to vision, hearing, mobility or judgement. These limitations may hinder a person's ability to detect a fire or escape its effects. For example:

• A woman who has visual limitations from advanced macular degeneration could have difficulty finding her way out of a home she has lived in for 50 years.
• A man who has a moderate hearing impairment may take longer to hear and respond to a smoke alarm in the middle of the night when his hearing aid is not in place.
• A woman who has rheumatoid arthritis may not be able to get downstairs quickly.
• A man who has Alzheimer's disease may not be able to respond appropriately in a fire situation.

When you develop an escape plan, consider your abilities and those of every member of your household, regardless of age. Understand that anyone who has a functional limitation is at greater risk in a fire. Good preparation can help minimize these risks.