Neighbors gathered at the Parrish Hills Community Club House last Wednesday February 13 for a Senior Safety presentation offered by the Londonderry Firefighters and the ALERT Program(A Londonderry Emergency Response Team).  The program, entitled Remembering When, is co-sponsored by the Londonderry Fire Department and the Londonderry Elder Outreach Program.  The Londonderry Fire Department’s Community Relations Coordinator Patricia B. Hamann, Firefighter/EMT and Elder Outreach Program Director, Lori Silva, RN lead this program with the mission of educating the elder community in proper safety precautions. 

About twenty Parrish Hills community members attended to learn what measures they could take to keep themselves and their homes more secure.  Patricia and Lori offered a Home Safety Checklist.  They reviewed the checklist, recommending that seniors get regular exercise, eye check ups, and put handrails on both sides of the stairs.  They discussed the importance of electrical safety, kitchen safety, smoke alarms, escape routes, and emergency phone numbers.  They also offered a Safe Senior Information Sheet for seniors to complete and return to the Fire Department.  The Londonderry Fire Department will keep this information confidential and on file for use in emergency situations or to check on the welfare and safety of the persons listed on the form.  Seniors were also given a Medical Data Review Card to be kept in an easy to reach place, such as your refrigerator.  This card includes important information about emergency contacts, medication information, existing medical conditions, and medical insurance.  If called to your home for an emergency, the fire fighters will be able to grab this card, bring it to the hospital with you, and give it to the health care professional.  Having this information ready can save not only time, but also lives.

Patricia and Lori discussed fall prevention and Fire Safety Precautions in detail.  After the presentation, there was a question and answer period.  This is an educational and resource forum for our seniors.  Other senior communities interested in participating in this program should contact Patricia Hamann of the Londonderry Fire Department at phamann@londonderrynh.org or Lori Silva of the ALERT program  at alertoutreach@londonerrynh.org.

****For attached photos

"Safety"  From left to right:  Karen Riddle, Justine Oates,

Lori Silva and Patricia Hamann

"Safety 2"  From left to right  Riita Nemon, Kren Riddle, Justine Oates, Helen Conte, Don Helen Asquith, Ed Buckley, Kathy Hubbard, Dom DiRienzo, Joan Baker, Patricial Hamman Firefighter/EMT, Richard Baker, Sheila Twomey, Lori Silva RN, Sandy Simard.