Framingham Fire Department and Callahan Center Win Award for National Training

FRAMINGHAM, MA—The following was submitted by the town of Framingham. Got news? Email charlene.arsenault@patch.com.

The Framingham Fire Department and the Callahan Center have been awarded a scholarship to attend the 2017 NFPA Remembering When Conference. The team will participate in training to deliver the educational fire and falls prevention program sponsored by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).

The conference, Remembering When: A Fire and Fall Prevention Program for Older Adults, is Nov. 1-3, 2017. NFPA has selected teams from 21 communities across the United States and Canada to travel to Nashville,
Tennessee for the training. Teams are composed of at least one member of the fire department partnered with an individual from an agency within the community that serves older adults. Joseph Mazzola from the Framingham Fire Department is partnering with Lisa Ushkurnis from the Callahan Center. Each award covers training, materials, and travel expenses, and is valued at more than $4,000.

Following the conference, the team will return to Framingham and conduct 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.

“The Remembering When program is a fabulous tool to assist fire departments and local agencies who are focused on older adult fire and falls prevention. As the number of older adult residents rise in many communities, agencies are working together to meet the needs of a changing demographic. The Remembering When program empowers older adults to work alongside the fire department and other senior-focused agencies to promote a safer home environment.” said Karen Berard-Reed, NFPA senior project manager. “Congratulations to the teams selected to participate in this impactful training event. They will return home ready to strengthen their communities’ strategic safety plans.”

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.