[20150911] Safety Issue in an Aging Society
2015/09/11 Taiwan K.K. Corp.
Firefighters help rescuing survivors from a building fire
In an aging society it is not just about passive fire saftey but also actively avoiding fire incidents. Notice that senior citizens are often more in danger to get stuck in a fire than the younger generations.
As population ages in most developed countries, residential safety has never been so important. Generally speaking, the maintenance deteriorates in districts that contain more elderly populations. Old housing without regular repair and maintenance are prone to have old, broken wires and gas pipe, eventually leading to combustion. On the other hand old people often lack awareness for safety risks and fire hazards.
Even in developed countries like Germany, which is famous for its stern character, 2014 has seen an increase of fire incidents to 66 cases, claiming 11 elder lives and injured 163. The investigation conducted by fire departments stated, that the causes for fire often were old peoples’ unawareness as well as old building structures. Safety experts expect the issue of fire protection for old people to gain more relevance within the next years.
Taiwan K.K. Corp. suggests some basic active and passive prevention methods for the elderly:
Active Prevention: For housings older than 30-40 years the utility circuit and gas tubes should be rearranged and repaired if necessary, to lower the chance of fire disaster. Of course a 24-hour-care for old people might be time and cost intensive, yet caretaking personnel should regularly check on the activities of elderly respective to their hobbies like cooking or smoking. Curtains are often a source of combustion, so they should be kept away from stoves if possible. Even though candles contribute to a cozy atmosphere especially in winter times, they should be used rarely and never left unattended.
Passive Prevention: Interiors in old peoples’ homes should compulsorily install smoke detectors to inform fire units on spot. On a side note, as lots of old people cannot help themselves anymore firemen should take courses dedicated to the rescue of elderly in order to prevent inflicting injuries during the process.
Fire disasters destroy valuable lives as well as properties an put firefighters’ lives in danger. This not only depletes firefighting equipment life cycle, but also a waste of social resources. Taiwan K.K. sees the issue of firefighter exposure to danger, and the issue of aging populations. As part of the society, we have more goals than just financial gain; most importantly we are to ensure the safety of civilians and firemen.