Senior Fire Deaths

December 8, 2010

Second Fatal Fire Prompts Call to Help the Elderly

For the second time this week, London Fire Department has responded to a house fire and found an elderly victim inside. Echoing Mayor Fontana’s call to assist neighbours, London Fire Officials are asking residents to check on their elderly neighbours to ensure they are safe. The large volume of snow over the last few days has many older residents housebound and may present many dangers to them.
If you have an elderly neighbor, please take note of whether they are home and what assistance they may require. Some of the things you can do to help are:

• Check on them to see if assistance is required and ask if they have a working smoke alarm (test it)
• Ensure furnace and water heater vents are free of ice and snow to prevent CO from building up inside
• Clear snow away from their gas meter to prevent the pressure relief valve from freezing shut
• Shovel their walkway so they can maintain mobility and ensure adequate egress in the event of a fire
• Offer to pick up medications or food and remind them that many vendors offer free delivery

In 2009 London Fire Department identified the need for additional fire education resources to be directed at seniors and has implemented new programs to address seniors living in retirement homes and multi-unit residential buildings. Deputy Fire Chief Dan Oldridge says, ”Getting fire safety messages out to seniors living in their own homes has always been a challenge and we are looking for additional ways to improve fire safety for them. It’s wonderful when the community pulls together and people check on their elderly neighbours to make sure they are safe.”
Waist-deep snow hampered firefighting operations as fire crews attempted to gain entry to the home yesterday. The heavy snowfall made it difficult to locate fire hydrants, which are also now buried throughout the city. Fire Officials are asking residents to assist in digging out hydrants if they know the location. With over 6000 hydrants in London, it may be a while before all of them can be uncovered without the assistance of the public.
The Ontario Fire Marshals’ Office is investigating both fires in co-operation with London Fire Department Investigators to determine the exact cause and origin of the fires, as well as whether there were smoke alarms present and working in both homes.
London Fire Department would like to remind you that it is also a good time to check that you have working smoke alarms on every level of your own home and practice your home escape plan as we head into this Holiday Season.

For further information,

Deputy Chief Dan Oldridge
519-661-2500 ext 6514