Prevent fire and falls at home
The NFPA Steps to Safety™ Prevent Fire and Falls at Home program pairs fire and EMS professionals with community partners to educate older adults about home fire and fall safety through group presentations, home visits, and the creation of a local resource network. Formerly titled Remembering When™ A Fire and Fall Prevention Program for Older Adults, the updated Steps to Safety™ (STS) program includes an online professional training curriculum and new digitized and print assets to support learning and behavior change in the older adult population. The approach is one that promotes independence, collaboration, engagement, and empowerment. Rooted in fire and behavioral science and sound educational principles, STS provides the framework and tools for fire and EMS professionals and their health and social service partners to impact their community to reduce incidence and injury from home fire and falls.
The Facts
- At age 65, older adults are twice as likely as the population at large to be killed or injured by fires. By age 75, that risk increases to three times that of the general population—and to four times by age 85.
- One in three older adults will experience a fall, sending an average 1 in 17 to the emergency department each year in the US.
- There was a 35% increase in invalid assists (also known as lift assists) from 2014 to 2017. Fire service now attend more falls than fires among older adults.* (*NFPA Applied Research)
Program Materials
Steps to Safety™ is centered around 16 key safety messages—eight fire prevention and eight fall prevention—developed by experts from national and local safety organizations across the US and Canada. The program is designed to be implemented by a coalition or community partnership comprising the local fire department, health and social service agencies, service clubs, social and religious organizations, retirement communities, and others to deliver key fire and fall messages and connect residents with resources. Coalition and partner organizations decide how to best approach the local senior population, leveraging local data, resources, and additional programs such as smoke alarm installation programs, lock box programs, grab bar installation services, and other wraparound services.
Program materials are available for free download and distribution. Materials may be copied and distributed but not revised or altered. Not for commercial use.
Group presentation materials
Home visit resources
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Home safety checklists for fire and falls
Topical handouts and resources
Free interactive online learning (COMING SOON)
Learn the key fire and fall prevention messages and practice the skills you need to customize the delivery of the Steps to Safety™ program to fit the needs of your community in this free, three-hour online course. The course includes a personalized action planner, scenarios, job aids, and quizzes throughout, culminating in a series of 360-degree “home visits.” Whether you are new to Steps to Safety™ or a seasoned Remembering When™ professional, this course provides information, practice, and resources to get started. Course completion certificate provided.
Many thanks to our NFPA Older Adult Fire & Fall Prevention Advisory Committee members and NFPA staff who contributed to this project.
- Sato Ashida, Associate Professor
University of Iowa, IA
- Anita Barksdale, Injury Prevention, Education and Outreach Coordinator
Trinity Health Oakland, MI
- Janet Barnes, Volunteer
Saskatoon Council on Aging
Saskatoon Fire Department, Canada
- Stan Barnes, Consultant
CRR Fire and Life Safety Consulting Specialist, Retired Farmington Hills Fire Department, MI
- Lisa Barrett, Fire Prevention Education and Online Communications Officer
Emergency Management BC/Office of the Fire Commissioner
Saanichton, BC Canada
- Kathleen Cameron, Sr. Director
Center for Healthy Aging, National Council on Aging
- Ashby Green, Sgt. Fire Prevention
Louisville Fire Department, KY
- Angie Gryder Gregg, Regional Director
NC Baptist Aging Ministry
- Meredith Hawes, North Central Regional Director
Regional Operations/NFPA, MI
- Dori Krahn, Community Relations Coordinator
Saskatoon Fire Department, Canada
- Paula Levesque, Project Coordinator
Public Education Division/NFPA, MA
- Sonita Oldfield-Carlson, Health Promotion & Safety Director
Milestones Area Agency on Aging, IA
- BevVan Phillips, Occupational Therapist
Key Complete Therapy, Home Modification, NE
- Kelly Ransdell, Regional Director
South Central Region/NFPA
- Lori Schmidt, Public Education Officer
Scottsdale Fire Department, AZ
- Tanja Tanner, Community Education Coordinator
Goodyear Fire Department, AZ
- Rebekah Thurston, Public Information Officer
Wilmington Fire Department, NC
- Andrea Vastis, Sr. Director
Public Education/NFPA, MA