Remembering When: A Fire and Fall Prevention Program for Older Adults

At age 65, older adults are twice as likely to be killed or injured by fires compared to the population at large. By age 75, that risk increases three times that of the general population- and to four times by age 85. Fire and burns are not the only hazard that threaten our older citizens, Statistics from the CDC show that falls are the leading cause of death from unintentional injury ion the home. Thirty percent of people age 65 and older are involved in falls each year- some of those are fatal, while others permanently disable victims, often causing loss of mobility or independence.

This program “Remembering When” created by the National Fire Protection Association centers around 16 key messages and was developed by a technical advisory group. The program has adopted a nostalgia theme that has safety messages presented through discussion, trivia and handouts.

Fire Marshal Baldwin has been involved in the Southbury fire service for over 35 years. He has worked with the Southbury Fire Marshal’s office for over twenty years, and most recently has been appointed as the Fire Marshal. He spent 24 years working for the State of Connecticut with a strong focus on fire prevention for those with special needs for twenty four years- sixteen as Fire Chief. He completed his Fire Marshal Certification in November of 2000, and is a Certified Fire Officer IV, Fire Service Instructor and an EMT.

Like all Southbury Public Library programs, this event is free to attend and open to anyone regardless of town of residency. Registration is required.  For more information about this program, please email Rebecca at rrandall@biblio.org or call the reference desk at 203-262-0626 ext 130.