Meals-on-Wheels Selected to Participate in National Pilot Project to Promote Fire Safety
To work with Local Fire Department to Install Fire Alarms and to Educate Seniors on Fire Safety

Meals-on-Wheels of Johnson & Ellis Counties announced today that it will be serving up safety in addition to serving nutritious meals to their homebound seniors. Meals-on-Wheels is one of just five Texas senior nutrition programs chosen by the Meals On Wheels Association of America (MOWAA) to participate in a pilot project entitled Fire H.E.L.P. (Homebound Elderly Lifeline Project) funded through a grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The purpose of this innovative project is to promote residential safety and to reduce fire-related injuries and loss of life and property among vulnerable seniors. Fire H.E.L.P. consists of three major components: home screening; Meals-on-Wheels (MOW) client and public education; and installation and periodic testing of free long life lithium battery-powered smoke alarms in the homes of MOW clients.

Statistics indicate that adults age 65 and older are the population group at greatest risk of fire death. In fact, according to the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NPIPC), a division of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), fire death ranked as the seventh leading cause of unintentional injury/death in that population group.

“With Fire H.E.L.P., we hope to ensure the safety of our seniors. Not only do we want to provide our clients with nutritious meals, but it is also important to us to keep our seniors out of danger,” said Tracy Moore, director of client services.

Collaborating with MOWAA on the project are the CDC and the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC). The CDC is assisting in the development of training curricula to teach Meals-on-Wheels staff and volunteers how to conduct home assessments and to train other to do so, as well as in the creation of educational tools and materials to instruct their clients in basic fire safety and prevention. IAFC will conduct training of local fire departments, who will partner with Meals-on-Wheels to install the alarms.

If the program is successful, it is MOWAA’s goal to replicate the program throughout the State and then, ultimately, across the United States.

Meals On Wheels Association of America
The Meals On Wheels Association of America (MOWAA), incorporated in 1974 as a 501 (c) (3), is the oldest and largest organization in the United States representing those who provide meal services to people in need. MOWAA works toward the social, physical, nutritional and economic betterment of vulnerable Americans. MOWAA provides the tools and information its programs- local Meals on Wheels (MOW) programs in communities across America-need to make a difference in the lives of others.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
For more information about CDC's work preventing injuries caused by residential fires, please visit: www.cdc.gov/ncipc/factsheets/fire.htm. For information about CDC's overall injury and violence prevention work, please visit: www.cdc.gov/injury.

The International Association of Fire Chiefs
Established in 1873, the International Association of Fire Chiefs represents the leadership of over 1.2 million firefighters. IAFC members are the world's leading experts in firefighting, emergency medical services, terrorism response, hazardous materials spills, natural disasters, search and rescue, and public safety legislation. IAFC’s mission is to provide leadership to career and volunteer chiefs, chief fire officers and managers of emergency service organizations throughout the international community through vision, information, education, services and representation to enhance their professionalism and capabilities.