By FireRescue1 Staff
GAITHERSBURG, Md. — A recent study proved deaths in residential fires are more likely to occur in frail populations, or when a person is over the age of 65 and not in good health.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology determined scientifically for the first time that an individual’s ability to respond quickly to a residential fire determines who dies and who gets injured.
The findings suggest that age demographics could be mapped in communities across the United States and measures could be made and targeted to the appropriate populations to prevent fire deaths.
“Our findings indicate that frailty, especially in elderly populations, hinders the ability to escape and should be recognized as a key factor in home fire deaths,” NIST economist Stanley Gilbert said. “Therefore, measures to overcome this population-specific vulnerability, such as automatic sprinklers in bedrooms, may help reduce the number of fatalities.”