The state Department of Health Services found that emergency medical services in Wisconsin responded to over 140,000 falls in 2024, representing 21 percent of all 911-related ambulance runs. This week, known across agriculture as “National Farm Safety and Health Week,” is also “Falls Prevention Week.”
DHS encourages Wisconsinites, caregivers, and partner agencies to take steps to reduce fall risk severity.
“Falls remain a serious injury and health concern in Wisconsin, and EMS remain crucial in reducing the risk of death and disability due to a fall,” says State Health Officer Paula Tran. “This report highlights the pressing need for increased access to falls prevention programming and supplies to reduce falls while supporting the independence and health of aging Wisconsinites.”
DHS tracks EMS response calls as one way to understand causes of injury or illness across the state and monitor local EMS service needs. Key findings include:
- Wisconsin EMS providers responded to nearly 10,000 more fall-related calls in 2024 compared to 2023.
- Private residences remain the primary location of falls, representing 61.6 percent of fall-related incidents.
- EMS responses to private residences made up the largest increase in fall responses in which a patient did not require transport to a hospital. These have increased by 16,000 runs since 2018, an 86 percent increase.
- EMS responses to nursing homes for falls not requiring a patient transport to a hospital increased by 2,933 since 2018, a 285 percent increase.
Falls not only strain Wisconsin’s EMS system, but they also impact health outcomes, leading to death or causing long-term health conditions from injuries or a loss of confidence in one’s own physical fitness.
“Falls are common and can have a big impact on someone’s life, but they don’t have to be a normal part of getting older,” says Wisconsin Institute for Healthy Aging director Jill Renken. “We know what causes most falls, and we know how to prevent them. There are easy things we can all do to build resiliency and lower risk of falling.”
WIHA’s Falls Free Wisconsin initiative provides older adults, families, and caregivers with tools and information to understand fall risks and take steps to stay independent and safe at home and in the community: https://fallsfreewi.org/
Measures like improving lighting, reducing clutter, and making commonly used items easily accessible can reduce the risk of falls.
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