Richard Taylor Richard Taylor from the State Fire Marshal's office talks with Don and Jean Smith of New Harbor about fire safety at Coastal Senior Spectrum's weekly luncheon and lecture in Damariscotta. (Photo Barbara Martin)

Richard Taylor knows fire. A Research and Planning Analyst for the State Fire Marshal's Office, Taylor has written grants to learn more about fire risks, how to lessen those risks, and how to increase survival rates. Taylor was the speaker at Senior Spectrum Coastal Resource Center's weekly luncheon in Damariscotta, and his topic was both timely and terrifying.

National Fire Prevention Week starts on October 10, and Taylor was there with need-to-know information that seniors shouldn't miss. Taylor's most recent grant sponsored his research on how Maine compares to the rest of the union and why.

"Fire experiences for seniors in Maine are more severe than the national average," Taylor said. "Maine is an aging state. Projections show that we will be ranked number one or two nationally by the year 2020 with the largest number of residents over 65 proportionately."

"There is a national trend among older Americans to attempt to stay out of nursing homes, living on their own as long as possible using supportive resources when needed," he continued.

The good news is that it's great for people to be able to enjoy their homes in their golden years. But the bad news is that statistics show that from 1981-2005, 34 percent of the fire related deaths in Maine occurred among residents 65 years of age or older. Not one of those deaths took place in nursing homes which are regulated for fire safety and require regular inspections.

Taylor is an administrative firefighter, rather than a first responder, but he appears very enthusiastic about enlisting seniors in a personal campaign to keep themselves safe. He warned the audience that his presentation would include many common sense recommendations that would fall into the category of "well, of course, I know that," advice. But once again, the sum is greater than the whole, and Taylor asked those present to overlay his safety tips onto their lifestyles, searching for habits that fall outside his safety protocol.

Not surprisingly, Taylor pointed the finger at smoking as enemy number one for fire related accidents. The best way to make sure it doesn't happen is - stop smoking. If that's not in the cards, then he suggests smoking outside.

If our cold Maine winters make that unlikely, then he suggested that smokers use large, stable ashtrays that are placed on solid surfaces; no saucers on the arm of the couch. "I also think that it would be best if everyone did what my mom did when disposing of cigarettes and ashes. Put the tray in the sink, run water in it and let it sit for a while," he said.

Taylor said that one of the most dangerous scenarios imaginable is to have a smoker in the house with someone on oxygen therapy. "In the three years that I have been at the Fire Marshal's Office, there have been five fatalities involving smoking in homes where family members use oxygen," he said. "An oxygen rich environment creates a very fast fire. Usually, they are low in property damage, but catastrophic in loss of life."

He cautioned the audience about the new fire-safe cigarettes. "It's not completely accurate to say that they are totally fire-safe. They do go out on their own about 95 percent of the time, but the remaining five percent do not," Taylor said.

And of course, all smokers take note - never, ever smoke in bed.

Some fires start because someone is cooking. "Often one of the most common reasons that a fire will start while cooking is that we put something on the stove and then leave, only to have it burn over and ignite," Taylor said.

He pointed out that using a fire extinguisher on a cooking fire might be problematic. "Some extinguishers will not work in that environment and will only blow the fire around the kitchen," Taylor said.

He recommended that anyone who was not sure that they have the right kind of extinguisher in their kitchen should call the local fire department for advice.

Taylor suggests that homeowners put a lid on a cooking fire to deprive the fire of oxygen, or throw a wet towel over the flame. There are plans to sell kitchen ranges that have built in fire suppression systems, but they are not available yet.

According to Taylor's research, most fires start in the kitchen, making it important to take a close look at how to be prepared to deal with an emergency in that room. "It's also important to consider what you are wearing while cooking and try not to have on a bathrobe or sweater with long sleeves that could fall into the flame," he added.

With summer stubbornly refusing to go softly into that good winter night, colder temperatures seem like a distant memory, but in reality, they are only a moment away. Unfortunately the change in seasons will require that homeowners start firing up heating systems - another potential cause of fire.

"Because heating fires often start in the basement, I can't emphasize enough the need to have working fire alarms in the right places," Taylor said. "A house can be fully involved in a fire in two to three minutes, so time is crucial."

Taylor recommends having an alarm on every level, and an alarm that is hardwired is better than a battery powered alarm. "If the alarm is part of the house's electrical system, all alarms will sound when one goes off, giving people more time to leave," he said, "For those with battery alarms, I'd do what you often hear suggested on TV. Change batteries when the times change seasonally."

He also warns that space heaters be placed far away from curtains or any other potential source of fuel. He recommends having the home furnace serviced yearly and cleaning chimneys where woodstoves or fireplaces are used. And never, ever use any type of lighting fluid or accelerant to kick-start a fire.

"There are 500 chimney fires in Maine every year based on reports from state fire departments," Taylor said. "A chimney fire burns at between 1,800 and 2,000 degrees, which can crack a liner and even damage masonry."

Another type of fire that occurs even more often in the winter is electrical fires, because there is more need for light and heat.

"Be careful not to overload circuits. We are ranked seventh in the country in terms of the ages of our homes. People often add extra plugs to a socket because the room could use electrical updating," Taylor said. "That, along with using extension cords that are often run under rugs, can stress the system and increase our risks."

Taylor clearly didn't want to ruin the great meal the seniors had enjoyed and rustled up some good news to share.

"The odds are that you will not have a fire to deal with in your lifetime," he said. "But the best way to stay on the good side of the statistics is to do a safety check as we have talked about and then develop a plan."

The theme for this year's National Fire Prevention Week is "get out and stay out." Taylor urged listeners to look at their escape routes, practice how they would leave their home and remember "to stay low and go."

Taylor said the United States ranks first or second in fire fatalities. "Europe is more proactive in their prevention programs."

Maybe it's time for us to stop playing ostrich, sticking our heads in the sand only to pull them out when we feel the heat.