Falls: No Laughing Matter

Many people love pratfalls and see clumsiness as an essential part of the classic comedic sensibility. Witness Buster Keaton or Charlie Chaplin stumbling and bumbling through scenes or, more recently, the work of physical comedians like Chevy Chase or Chris Farley.

But as tempted as we are to laugh at the idea of people falling down, it is a problem. As posted on this blog previously, Chief Tom Larson was alarmed to recently find out that Chippewa County leads the nation in fall-related hospitalizations per capita. Just this morning, he told me that 20% of the paramedic calls that the Chippewa Falls Fire Department goes out each year on are for falls.

This is a problem that is especially prevalent among seniors. Some facts (courtesy of the Chippewa Health Improvement Partnership):


>Almost 1/3 of all adults over the age of 65 fall each year
>1% of falls result in hip fractures
>25% of adults who break a hip are dead within six months
>25% of adults with hip fractures require long-term care at a cost to Medicare of $3.1 billion per year
>Falls are the leading cause of traumatic brain injuries

And the fact is that the majority of falls are preventable. Simple things like decent lighting, picking up clutter and making sure the carpet on the stairs is tacked down can save you a doctor visit...or the life of a loved one.

Below are some links to some documents I scanned today that explain the problem and some things that can be done to help.

Facts on Falls for Seniors

Fall Prevention Brochure

Fire Prevention or, Preventing Chippewa Falls

Above you see Chippewa Falls' esteemed Fire Chief, Tom Larson, as he installs "Pluggie" the fire prevention robot/hydrant on our Fire Prevention Week display, which we'll leave up through the entire month of October. The display features safety information brochures on topics of all sorts, such as preventing fires, being safe at Halloween and preventing falls.

An interesting fact he relayed to me as we worked this morning: Wisconsin leads the country in fall-related injuries and deaths. All that ice, I said. And Chippewa County, according to Chief Larson, leads Wisconsin. So I urge anyone reading this, especially if they are in the brittle-bone years, to come by and take a look at the display and take a brochure.

Safety and Fire Prevention Links

National Fire Protection Association: Prevention Week Website

Firesafety.gov--provided by the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Consumer Product Safety Commission
and the U.S. Fire Administration.

For Kids: Sparky the Fire Dog


The Center for Disease Control: Preventing Falls Among Seniors

Familydoctor.org's "Falls: How to Lower Your Risk"

And remember: if your home doesn't have a smoke detector, get one. Chippewa Falls Fire and Emergency Services will give qualified applicants one for free, if they call and ask. Try 715-723-5710. Tell them you read it here. And, with furnace season coming on, a carbon monoxide detector is another thing that could save your life. Just a reminder.

Be safe!