30 deaths per year

Senior citizens living in their own homes are a fire hazard

This devastation was caused by a cigarette in an apartment

(Bild: Polizei Wien)

Smoking, cooking and candlelight - they are the "killers" in the homes of senior citizens in Upper Austria and other federal states. More than half of all 48 deaths caused by fires are pensioners. And this despite the fact that they only make up 18 percent of the population. Simple measures are often ignored.

"Old people light candles more often and more often than young people," says Josef Pühringer, head of the Seniors' Association, who, however, does not want to point the "admonishing finger" during an appointment at the Upper Austrian Fire Prevention Center in Linz. "Older people have had enough of that," he says, hoping that his personal story will raise awareness. After all, he almost burnt down his house once when he was still governor of Upper Austria: "I switched on the sauna and didn't look in beforehand. A bucket that was on the sauna heater promptly went up in flames. Since then, I've always checked beforehand."

Being alone as an additional risk
"The biggest dangers come from everyday activities. Smoking, cooking and candles left burning," explains Günther Schwabegger from the Fire Prevention Center. He knows that around 95 percent of fire victims die alone in their homes and that fires are usually extinguished before they spread. "This also has to do with the fact that the majority of very elderly people aged 85 and over live alone," says Pühringer - which often makes raising the alarm problematic.

Vibration as an alarm
With simple measures that older Upper Austrians should think about soon enough, disaster could often be prevented. Fire alarms that draw attention to the danger with loud noises and/or bright flashing lights. There are also devices that are connected to a vibrating mat that is placed under pillows: "This also warns people who are hard of hearing of a fire," says Schwabegger.

Escape route should not become a trap
In addition to an easily accessible fire extinguisher, a fire blanket in the kitchen is an advantage in the event of a fire, as is an escape route that is not cluttered. The fire prevention experts advise only charging batteries when someone is at home and visually inspecting cables: "If something is broken, have it repaired immediately."

Attention smokers
The top danger zone is the kitchen: forgotten food on the stove is the number one cause of fire in this room, followed by stored flammable materials on the stove. The kitchen shares first place with cigarettes when it comes to fire hazards in the home. It is important not to smoke in bed or on the couch and to always empty ashtrays.

Now is the time for candles
Schwabegger and Pühringer know that "now is the time for candles" and that from November to January there are most frequent fires due to forgotten candles and they warn: "Don't leave candles burning overnight. And if you do, then on a safe surface, i.e. a glass or ceramic plate placed on a non-flammable surface." 

Position emergency numbers centrally
If something happens, it is important to organize help quickly: Save emergency numbers in your cell phone or hang them up somewhere easy to read in a central location in the home. Another topic is call bracelets, which not only work in the event of a fall because they can be used to actively call for help. "In the past two years, we have been able to reach more than 10,000 senior citizens in Upper Austria with presentations on the topic of safety - everyone is welcome here, even non-members," says Franz Ebner, Managing Director of the Upper Austrian Seniors' Association.