- Prevention and safety information to help Americans stay safe from fire.
- Fire prevention resources for America’s career and volunteer Fire Service.
- Coloring pages, puzzles and games that teach kids how to stay safe from fire.
People With Disabilities
Media stories can save lives! A news story about a residential fire provides a valuable opportunity to give your community a safety message during a teachable moment. Drop in these prevention tips and facts, and you just might save a life.
All U.S. homes should have working smoke alarms.
Fires can be prevented. A few easy steps can save your life!
- Ask family or friends to help install smoke alarms, test them monthly, and change batteries each year.
- Make an escape plan that meets your special needs.
- The fire department can help you with your escape plan.
- Involve your family, building manager, or a friend in practicing your escape plan.
- Ask emergency providers to keep your special needs information on file.
- Caregivers or neighbors should help assist those with disabilities escape a home or apartment fire.
People With Mobility Impairments
- Sleep on the ground floor. In an apartment building, live near the exit.
- Keep a phone and emergency numbers within arm's reach.
- Add ramps or widen doorways, if needed, to make escape easier.
- If you use a wheelchair, consider mounting a personal fire extinguisher on the wheelchair within easy reach. Learn how to use it.
- In case of a fire, if you can't crawl below smoke, cover your mouth and nose to avoid breathing deadly fumes.
- Never use an elevator in a fire, unless the fire department tells you to.
People With Hearing Impairments
- Install smoke alarms with flashing lights or vibrating signals.
- Keep a TTY/TTD or other communication device nearby.
People With Vision Impairments
- Install smoke alarms that have small windows of silence so you can hear instructions or voices of others.
- Consider living or sleeping on the ground floor and near an exit.
People With Disabilities and Home Fires Facts
- People with a physical or mental disability are more than twice as likely to die in a fire.
- In the event of a fire, people with disabilities often rely on help from caregivers or neighbors.