Following the recent death of an elderly farmer in Galway, Home Instead Senior Care encourages seniors to stay safe and take a number of fire safety steps to make their home a safer place to live:

·         Buy a smoke detector:  Having a working smoke alarm increases your chances of surviving a fire in the home. It is important to make sure alarms are installed on each floor and outside all bedrooms. If you are deaf or hard of hearing it is important to invest in a smoke alarm with strobe lights.  Smoke alarms should also be tested every month and the battery should be replaced at least once a year.

·         Be careful when smoking: Never smoke in bed and be careful when disposing cigarettes. Soak the cigarette butte and ashes in water when discarding and always use a large deep ashtray.

·         Be careful when cooking: Never leave cooking food unattended at the oven or stove top. It is also important to keep flammable items such as tea towels and pot holders away from the flame.