SFD and ALTCEW selected for national training conference

Michele Anderson, Public Safety Communications Manager 509.742.0063

Monday, December 5, 2016 at 8:56 a.m.

Spokane Fire Department (SFD) and Aging & Long Term Care of Eastern Washington (ALTCEW) were awarded a scholarship to attend the 2016 National Fire Protection Association’s Remembering When Conference. The team participated in training to deliver the educational fire and falls prevention program sponsored by the NFPA.

The conference, Remembering When: A Fire and Fall Prevention Program for Older Adults, was held November 14-16, 2016. NFPA selected teams from 30 communities across the United States and Canada to travel to San Antonio for the training. Teams were composed of at least one member of the fire department partnered with an individual from an agency within the community that serves older adults. Jamie Wiggins and Jamie McIntyre from SFD partnered with Mark Haberman from ALTCEW.

Each scholarship award covered training, materials, and travel expenses, and is valued at more than $4,000.

Following the conference, the team has returned to Spokane and is conducting group presentations and training sessions to prepare additional facilitators. Team members will also bring the program to older adults during home visits where they will tailor the Remembering When messages and help older adults identify changes that will increase home safety.

“We are excited to provide this important training to help fire departments and local agencies meet their goals related to older adult safety. Many communities are seeing dramatic increases in the numbers of older adult residents and are strengthening resources to meet the needs stemming from this growth. Reducing risks related to injury and death is key and the Remembering When program is a helpful tool in this endeavor.” said Karen Berard-Reed, NFPA senior project manager. “The data provides a crystal clear picture of the fire and falls problem for older adults across North America. Kudos to the professionals who are dedicated to the work of helping older adults live safely.”

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. Program materials are available online at no cost.

For more information about Remembering When, visit www.nfpa.org/rememberingwhen.