Cooking is the leading cause of fire injury among seniors.

Senior citizens have a higher risk than any other age group for home fire fatalities.

Some 900 adults 65 and older die from blazes each year, and another 2,000 are injured, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. Seniors are more at risk for many reasons: less mobility, sight, just to name a couple.

Here are three safety tips to reduce the risk of a fire:

• *When working at the stove, never leave flammable materials like potholders or paper towels nearby.
• *Foods that are cooking should never be left unattended
• The cook should always wear short or tight-fitting clothing, the USFA said.

*Be sure to have an escape plan. The plan should include two exits from each room. The USFA recommends letting your friends and/or family members know what your plan is. Practice with them if you can.

The majority of seniors killed in a fire were in their bedroom and many were sleeping, according to USFA statistics. Make sure your fire alarms are audible as they are more successful at waking you as most seniors have lost some hearing.

Contact your local fire department to let them know of any special needs you may have including coming to your house to perform a home fire safety inspection.

City of Oak Ridge Fire Department