The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is taking steps to reduce the number of falls and fires –and related deaths and injuries – that affect people over the age of 65.

In spite of industry-wide efforts to reduce falls and fires experienced by older adults, the occurrence of these events has risen in the past decade. NFPA reports that local fire and EMS department “lift assist” or “invalid assist” calls increased by 35 percent from 2014 to 2017, and that these calls far outnumber structure fire calls.

In response, NFPA is collaborating with professionals in the fire and safety industry to counter this trend. The group is developing digital assets including an online training module that will supplement group presentations and home visits in the hopes of reaching a wider audience and arming them with safety information. This digital library will be available to local fire departments that can reach out to seniors and encourage them to accept more help as they age, in order to prevent falls or fire injuries. The online portal will eventually have the capability to collect community data on outreach efforts and outcomes, offering insights on what strategies are effective.

Read more in the NFPA article: A Little Help