The Waynesboro Fire Department and Valley Program for Aging Services (VPAS) have been selected to participate in a training conference on fire and fall prevention sponsored by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).
The conference, Remembering When™: A Fire and Fall Prevention Program for Older Adults, is being held June 4-6, 2014. NFPA has selected teams from 30 communities across the United States and Canada to attend the training. Teams are composed of one member of the fire department partnered with an individual from an agency within the community that serves older adults.
Waynesboro Fire Department and VPAS received a scholarship award that covers training, materials, and travel expenses, and is valued at more than $4,000.
Following the conference, there will be group presentations for the community and VPAS will integrate materials from the Remembering When program into its home visits. The Waynesboro Fire Department will assist with the testing and installation of adequate smoke alarms.
“The Remembering When program targets a wide age range of older adults. We believe helping active adults develop safe habits will reduce risks of fire and fall injuries as they age.” said Karen Berard-Reed, NFPA senior project manager. “Folks over the age of 65 are twice as likely to die in a home fire compared to the total population. Falls are the leading cause of death from injury for this age group. This program uses a partnership approach to help fire and life safety educators reduce the risks of falls and fires in their communities.”
The Remembering When program has been implemented in communities throughout North America since 1999, to help thousands of older adults learn strategies to help them live safely at home for as long as possible.
More online at www.ValleyProgramforAgingServices.com.
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Chris Graham
