Fire Safety Tips for People with Functional Needs

10/26/2021 (Permalink)

When life happens and we need to use a walker, wheelchair, or other mobility device (crutches, scooter, etc.), to get around, we may tend to not think about fire safety.

In such cases, we should consider the following:

• Check to be sure that paths are clear, and you can get through doorways
• Widen doorways and have ramps installed, if needed
• Have a fire safety plan, practice it, and let others (family, neighbors, building manager) know what the plan is.
• Let your local fire department know ahead of time any special needs you have so that they can keep it on file in case of an emergency, contact them on their non-emergency line to provide them with the information.
• Always keep a phone handy and call 911 when an emergency occurs.