Fire Safety for People with Low Vision

Living with vision loss can present unique safety challenges, especially when it comes to preventing and responding to emergencies. Hear from retired firefighter and EMT Lt. Thomas Medeiros, who was diagnosed with wet age-related macular degeneration in 2021 and is legally blind, as he shares practical fire safety strategies tailored for people with low vision. He will cover home fire prevention, cooking safety, smoke alarms and emergency preparedness, and creating an effective escape plan to help you and your loved ones stay safe.

Lieutenant Thomas Medeiros was a Firefighter/NRAEMT (Nationally Registered Advanced EMT) for the Town of Dighton, Massachusetts for 32 years. In his 32 years of service, he held many certifications, was President of the Union, President of the Fire Association and the Director of the Dighton Junior Firefighter Program, a youth organization that taught basic firefighting and first aid skills to young men and women from all over the state who were interested in the fire and EMS career. In May 2021, he was diagnosed with wet macular degeneration, which ultimately ended his career as a firefighter. For years he taught fire safety to local businesses and organizations, and after this diagnosis he took his program and adapted it to the low vision community and now speaks to many low vision groups.