FISHERS — A simple fall can become more lethal as you get older. The Fishers Fire Department and the Fishers Health Department hope to save lives by stopping those falls.
The two agencies partnered for a fall prevention program, which provides complimentary shower grab bars and house safety checks for seniors who can not afford them.
The program recently received a $30,000 grant from the Indiana Department of Homeland Security.
"The more that we can keep people mobile and safe in their homes, that's going to lead to a better quality of life, which is really what it's all about," said Monica Heltz of the Fishers Health Department.
"We want to make sure that we can prevent as many things as possible so that you don't need us to respond on emergencies," added John Mehling of the Fishers Fire Department.
Mehling said first responders received more than 1,100 emergency calls for falls in 2023 alone.
"Our hope is that when we respond on these runs, they're just needing assistance getting up," Mehling said. "Sometimes we fall and don't have the strength to get back into our chair or bed and we're hoping that's what it is. As our numbers reflect, there's an increasing amount of people getting hurt."
Mehling said he has felt the effects of aging firsthand and hopes others do not underestimate when their body is telling them to slow down.
"I wake up every morning, something feels a little different and there's a new sound when you get out of the chair," Mehling said. "It just keeps getting worse."
