Does Your Aging Loved One Have a Shelter in Place Plan?
Nobody wants to think about house fires and what they would do if such an emergency happened. However, studies show that those with fire safety plans in place are more likely to survive and escape with fewer injuries. To most people, fire safety plans mean creating an evacuation route to get out of the house safely. But what happens if an elderly adult isn’t mobile and wouldn’t be able to escape quickly? Fire safety experts recommend that non-mobile seniors shelter in place until help arrives.
Home Care Services Ashburn VA – Does Your Aging Loved One Have a Shelter in Place Plan?Sheltering in place is the act of securing a room for safety until rescuers arrive, then signaling their whereabouts to rescuers. While it is most often applied to house fires, it can also work for other emergencies such as an earthquake or tornado. Family caregivers, home care services providers and anyone else who assists the aging adult should become familiar with the shelter in place plan.
When it comes to a house fire and the aging adult is in a room away from an exterior exit, such as a bedroom, they or whoever is attending to them must act quickly. Wasting a few minutes could mean the difference between no injuries and a serious outcome. If seniors are unable to do any of the steps themselves, it’s up to the family caregiver and the home care services provider.
Here are five steps in a shelter in place plan for aging adults who are bedridden or otherwise contained to a room during a fire.
Step #1: Call Emergency Services
Seniors should always have a phone near their bed, either a landline or cell phone, and know how to use it to call the emergency services. They should be able to share their home address and what part of the house they are in. If the home care services provider is with them, they should also know the details to share. Seniors should stay on the line with dispatch until help arrives.
Step #2: Secure the Room
If the door isn’t already shut, it should be done right away. It can take as long as 10 to 15 minutes for a fire to burn through a door, which gives lots of time for the people in the room on the other side. Seniors and home care services providers should remember the fire safety drills from their youth and never open the door especially if it or the doorknob feels hot.
Step #3: Open a Window and Stay Near It
Aging adults can get fresh air when they sit next to an open window in the event of a fire. The open window is also a good access point for rescuers to enter. However, it’s important for the occupants of the room to signal they are there. Many people choose to leave a flashlight by the window to signal outsiders. Other ideas include waving a light-colored cloth or flicking the lights on and off.
Having a working shelter in place plan is one of the best ways a bedridden or homebound elderly adult can gain a few more minutes to stay safe during a fire. It can mean the difference between serious injury and getting out unharmed.