ABOUT US

In April 2024, the Derby(KS) Fire & Rescue Department called a community meeting at the Derby Public Library seeking assistance. In an effort to identify any need for a community risk reduction program, Derby's Fire Marshal had conducted a community risk assessment by analyzing the types of emergencies they respond to the most.  He discovered that over 20% of all their emergency calls for service involved falls affecting the older adult population within our community and beyond. This 20% accounts for nearly 600 falls per year.

 

As a service, the Fire Department has only two options when responding to these incidents. If the individual is injured, they may require transport to the hospital by EMS. If the individual is uninjured, their only option is to assist them into a position of comfort. Because experiencing one fall statistically doubles the chance of having another, the fire department often responds to the same individuals repeatedly until that person sustains a significant injury which often lands them in rehabilitation and nursing care where, more often than not, they never return to their homes again. The Fire Marshal asked the community for help developing a fall prevention program so the fire department could provide a better service to these vulnerable community members. The community responded. This 501c3 is dedicated to providing a comprehensive intervention to break the cycle of falling with the hope of prolonging independence, preventing injury, and providing a safer environment for the most vulnerable among us.