Important Information for Seniors and friends of Seniors

The investigation into the fire deaths of two Surrey, BC seniors in a house fire earlier this month concludes that most seniors are not aware there is a definite expiry date on their smoke alarms, nor are they checking their smoke alarms at least once a year to make sure they are working correctly.This is important information for everyone to read:

Non-working Smoke Alarm Contributed to Surrey Seniors’ Fire Deaths: Investigation

For immediate release October 1, 2013 Surrey BC – The investigation into the recent fire deaths of two Surrey seniors has concluded that the decades-old smoke alarm in the home was not functioning. The elderly couple perished in an early morning fire September 5 that gutted their two-level home on 94A Avenue. The City has now received a report from the electrical engineer confirming the alarm found in the rubble was not functioning and was a similar model to alarms built 24 years ago. “This is such a tragic loss of life,” City of Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts said. “We will all work closely together to ensure our residents and especially our seniors are kept safe.” The fire investigation results are consistent with recent findings from the University of British Columbia (UBC) study on fall and fire prevention among frail older adults led by Drs. Scott and Feldman. Findings from the almost 1,000 seniors who responded to a survey on smoke alarms, indicated that while most had a smoke alarm, almost half didn’t know how old it was and another 15 percent said the alarm was more than 10 years old – beyond the typical lifespan of a smoke alarm. In about 20 percent of cases no light was visible to show the alarm was working, and only about half arranged for or knew that the alarm was checked at least once a year. These data add to mounting evidence highlighting the importance of working smoke alarms in saving lives – and particularly those of vulnerable populations such as seniors. Another study led by the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) of almost 11,100 residential structure fires in B.C. from 2006 to 2011 showed that 79 per cent of the 170 fire-related deaths occurred in homes without a working smoke alarm. The study further showed that seniors made up 32 per cent of those deaths – despite only making up 15 per cent of the general population. “This is a very vulnerable group, and we clearly need to do more,” Surrey Fire Chief Len Garis said. “We learned from the two studies (UBC / UFV) that many elderly people are not thinking about their own safety. It’s incumbent on all of us to ensure the seniors we come in contact with – through our work or in our private lives – understand why they need a working smoke alarm in their home.”  Some progress in this area is being made through the Working Smoke Alarm Campaign, spearheaded by the Fire Chiefs’ Association of British Columbia in cooperation with the City of Surrey, provincial government and dozens of other partners. “Through the Working Smoke Alarm Campaign, we’ve been focusing on seniors and other vulnerable groups through targeted education and smoke alarm giveaways,” FCABC President Tim Pley said. “We’re engaging as many partners as possible to help spread the message about the importance of working smoke alarms. We all have a role to play in making sure this message is heard loud and clear by those who are most at risk.” Information and resources about working smoke alarms can be found at: www.workingsmokealarms.ca

Fire Chief J. Caldbeck

Thetis Island Fire Dept.