Seniors - Fire Safety for the Senior Community

Home Safety

  • Heating and Electrical systems should be installed and maintained by professionals. Don't let unqualified friends try to install these themselves! Even if they get it up and running without suffering any shocks or burns, do-it-yourself electrical work is a common cause of house fires, and a poorly-installed heating unit can leak dangerous gasses. And even if faulty wiring doesn't lead to a house fire, having a professional replace it usually costs more than having it done right in the first place.

  • Always make sure light bulbs don't exceed recommended wattage of the lamp. Having too much wattage not only causes lights to burn out more quickly, costing you money, but also turns the lamp into a potential fire hazard.

  • If there's a fuse that breaks often, have a qualified electrician find out why and correct the problem. Don't let your friends ignore the problem or try to fix it themselves.

  • Wall outlets should be replaced if plugs don't fit snugly. Older outlets may allow the wire loosely droop down, exposing the metal prongs.

  • Wall outlets and switches should have wall plates installed. These are inexpensive and easy to install; if your friends have cracked or missing plates, replacing them is not only saver, but makes it look much better!

  • Have your friends call an electrician if you notice any of the following:

    • Recurring problems with fuses
    • Discoloured or warm outlets or switches
    • Burning or rubbery odour from an appliances
    • Flickering lights
    • Sparks jumping from an outlet
    • Outlets themselves which are cracked or broken