 The mission of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Center for High-Risk Outreach is to reduce deaths and injuries from fires and burns among high-risk populations. One such group is older adults, who at age 65 are twice as likely to be killed or injured by fires or falls, compared with the population at large. By age 75, that risk increases to three times that of the general population—and four times at age 85.
In 1996, the NFPA Center for High-Risk Outreach joined with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention to create the Remembering When program. The two organizations agreed to focus on preventing deaths and injuries from both fires and falls, as these are the leading causes of unintentional injury to older adults in the home (National Safety Council, 1996).
Remembering When uses a nostalgia theme in its lesson plans and educational literature. The program reinforces the safety message through discussion questions, trivia quizzes, audiovisual aids, checklists and handouts.
The program focuses on 16 "key messages" that were developed by a technical advisory group of safety and aging specialists:
Fire prevention:
- Provide smokers with large, deep ashtrays
- Give space heaters space
- Be kitchen wise
- Stop, drop and roll
- Smoke alarms save lives
- Plan and practice your escape from fire
- Know your local emergency number
- Plan your escape around your abilities.
Falls:
- Exercise regularly for balance and coordination
- Take your time
- Clear the way.
- Look out for yourself (see an eye doctor; improve lighting)
- Slippery when wet (bathroom safety)
- Throw rugs can throw you
- Tread carefully (stairway safety)
- Best foot forward (safe shoe information)
Fun with a didactic function
A notable feature of the program is that it is fun and interactive. Messages are reinforced with large-print display cards as well as handouts and games. For example, a fire safety brochure is illustrated with instructive photos of safe use of space heaters, "stop, drop and roll," smoke alarm use, etc…but also features a humorous film still of Laurel and Hardy gazing with dismay at a pair of burned long johns. Likewise, the fall prevention handout includes the famous photo of Harold Lloyd hanging from a giant clock above the streets of Los Angeles in his silent film Safety Last.
Another interactive feature is a trivia game in which a fun question is paired with a safety question. The questions are those to which older adults are likely to know the answers. For example, when a participant answers the question "What was the name of Charles Lindbergh's plane?" he or she then is invited to answer the "bonus question" of "You hear a chirping sound coming from your smoke alarm. What does the sound mean, and what should you do?" Participants are encouraged to discuss their own experiences, as well as things they could do to lower fire risk.
Versatile presentation methods
Organizations have implemented Remembering When in a variety of ways. The materials can be utilized in home visits, group presentations, or as part of a smoke alarm installation campaign. Group presentations have been put on by firefighters and public health workers, universities, senior centers and hospitals. Home visit presentations can be delivered by nurses, home health workers, senior center volunteers, outreach workers, etc. The program manual includes detailed information on how to organize a Remembering When session, as well as background information for volunteers.
Remembering When materials can also be used in smoke alarm installation and fall intervention visits. Smoke alarm installation has proven to be far more effective than simple give-away programs, which require older adults to install the alarms themselves. Volunteers visit the homes of elders in the community to install the alarms—and while there, to also talk with the resident about fall risks
Since Remembering When was launched, the NFPA has distributed 5,000 free copies of the program curriculum to applicants from local fire and public health departments, universities, senior centers and hospitals.
Remembering When can be ordered from the National Fire Protection Association website.
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