With an eye toward reducing the number of fire-related deaths and injuries among senior citizens, the Francis X. Pendl Nassau County Firefighters Museum and Education Center, April 18, offered its first Senior Fire Safety Program, geared toward older adults on Long Island. The program was launched with the assistance of Hempstead Town Supervisor Kate Murray, who arranged for the first group of seniors to attend the inaugural session through the town's Department of Senior Enrichment.

The program features an hour-long, interactive curriculum led by Fire Safety Education Director John Wolffe, focusing on fire safety issues pertinent to senior citizens, such as the need for smoke detectors and the need for a feasible emergency evacuation plan for older adults. The program will even offer tips for grandparents in attendance on how to "grandchild-proof" one's home. Attendees were also provided with a comprehensive Fire Safety Booklet for Older Adults, published earlier this year by the Firemen's Association of the State of New York.

"Recent statistics show that almost 40 percent of older adults killed in house fires were asleep when the fire started, and more than 30 percent were trying to escape when they died," Wolffe said. "Things like smoke alarms, escape planning and other facets of fire safety are important to know, especially for our older citizens. Many, if not most fire deaths are preventable, and our moms and dads, grandfathers and grandmothers, and our neighbors can all benefit from this life-saving information. The Nassau County Firefighters Museum thanks Supervisor Murray and others who are helping us get the word out about this important program."

"Partnering with the Nassau County Firefighters Museum, Hempstead Town is delighted that fire education programs will be offered to the town's 190,000 mature residents," Supervisor Murray said. "This program will be more than helpful... it will be a lifesaver!"

Each year, more than 900 people ages 65 and older die in fire-related incidents, and another 2,000 are injured; recent data show that senior citizens accounted for more than one-quarter of all fire deaths, and one in 10 fire injuries nationwide. Overall, seniors are more likely than adults ages 18-64 to die from fire-related injuries.

For more information on this program, including group rates for senior centers or to arrange a session for your group, call 572-4177 or visit www.ncfiremuseum.org to learn more about the Nassau County Firefighters Museum and Education Center, a 5,000 square-foot teaching facility features hands-on displays and live demonstrations on fire prevention and fire safety techniques. Since opening in June 2006, over 20,000 visitors of all ages have been taken step-by-step through a working fire, from alarm activation and emergency call to the "knocking down" of flames at the scene. The center's exhibits also trace the evolution of fire service equipment, gear and apparatus.