Wilmington Fire Department’s program focuses on senior safety

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) –According to the World Health Organization, falls in the home are the second leading cause of accidental death among senior citizens. The Wilmington Fire Department has responded to over 1,200 fall-related incidents in the past year alone.

To help address this issue, the Wilmington Fire Department offers a “Steps to Safety” course. This one-hour session teaches older adults practical steps to prevent and respond to fire and fall risks in the home. Now, the department is expanding its efforts by introducing an additional four-week program based on the principles outlined in the book Living Safely: Aging Well. This course is designed for both seniors and caregivers, offering deeper insights into safety measures and resources available to the community.

As more seniors choose to age in place, the Wilmington Fire Department finds it increasingly important to help them stay safe. Fire and Life Safety Educator Brooke Sasser explains the reasoning behind the new workshop:

“We wanted to go more in depth with our older adult population and different safety needs that we come across as a fire department. Hopefully it will give them a lot of access to local resources too so in addition to all the great information it offers, we do go over different resources in our community.”

If you’re interested in signing up or learning more, visit this website and scroll down to the “Falls Prevention” tab.