Senior Ed

What is Senior Ed?

FRNSW resources and programs targeting the seniors’ community are titled under the banner of Senior Ed which is the collection of improved resources to make the delivery of community engagement to this vulnerable group easier to coordinate by fire officers.

Throughout our network of fire stations, we engage with 'at risk' community members through fire safety presentations and displays.

The Senior Ed resources assist FRNSW fire officers to educate the seniors in the community about fire prevention and preparedness including:

  • ‘Fire Safety for Seniors’ - a speaker tool-kit featuring a DVD with an interactive multimedia presentation, a session plan and a facilitator guide.
  • ‘Better Safe than Sorry’- a short public safety film which outlines essential fire safety steps seniors should take around their homes. The film is narrated by Henri Szeps, the co-star of the award winning ABC TV series Mother and Son, and the DVD can be borrowed from public libraries and downloaded from this website.

A photo of the Senior Ed Kit.Why Senior Ed?

FRNSW statistics reveal that seniors (people aged 65 and over) are the highest fire fatality risk group in the community. Nearly 50% of house fire fatalities are aged 65 years and over. Given their high fire risk, it is vital that older people and those who provide both formal and informal care to them are aware of basic home fire safety. Older people:

  • May be affected by mobility issues, which reduce their capacity to escape quickly if a fire occurs in their home
  • May be likely to economise and use older appliances, such as portable heaters and electric blankets
  • Have difficulty installing and maintaining working smoke alarms

For further information about fire safety and seniors or to view the Better Safe than Sorry DVD visit: www.fire.nsw.gov.au