Fire and Rescue Service promotes home safety as part of national Older Person’s day
Wednesday, 30th September 2015.
As part of The Chief Fire Officers Association’s (CFOA), Home Safety Week (28 Sept – 4 Oct) Suffolk’s firefighters and community safety teams are joining forces with health colleagues to kick-start work to protect older people from fire this winter and will look to support the health sector to reduce excess winter deaths.
During this week and as part of UN’s International Older Person’s Day on 1 October, the Fire Service’s Community Safety team are fitting even more smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors, as part of their Safer Home visits in the county.
Last year, Suffolk Fire and Rescue carried out over 2000 safer home visits. The Fire Service conduct safer home visits for those in need in the county on a risk based approach with age, physical abilities highlighted as factors.
Statistics from CFOA show that the risk of dying in a fire for those aged 65 and over is more than twice as high as the average risk for all ages. With an ever-increasing older population – 23% of the UK will be aged 65 and over by 2035 – activities to help older people prevent fires and keep themselves safe are a growing part of the fire service’s work.
Councillor Matthew Hicks, Suffolk County Council’s cabinet member for Public Protection said:
“The Fire Service and health organisations play an important a role in helping older people remain safe and well in their own homes. The NHS states that 11.6% more people died in the winter months compared to non-winter months in 2013/14 in the U.K. Some of these deaths are preventable and that is why this partnership is vital to the county.”
“We know that older people are at highest risk of fire in the home and that is why that age group is targeted most keenly through our prevention work. A working smoke alarm can buy you and your family the valuable time you need to get out and call 999. You are four times more likely to survive a fire if you have a working smoke alarm. If you're worried about a relative or an elderly neighbour, I would encourage you to contact the Fire Service to arrange a Safer Home visit.”
Last year, there were 816 primary fire incidents in Suffolk and 31 of those involved residents who were aged 60 and above. So far this year, older people have made up 41.25% of the total number of casualties in fire incidents.
A safer home visit is free and available to all residents in Suffolk to help them prevent a fire in their home. A visit can be booked by calling the Community Safety team on 01473 260588.
This prevention work is particularly important as from 1 October 2015, every privately rented property will need to have a working smoke alarm on every floor as per the new regulation announced by Central Government. A working carbon monoxide alarm is also required in properties that use and burn solid fuels. Landlords must check the alarms are working at the start of every new tenancy with potential penalties of up to £5,000 if they don’t comply
Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service have over 4000 smoke alarms and 7000 carbon monoxide alarms to give out to local landlords.
During this week and as part of UN’s International Older Person’s Day on 1 October, the Fire Service’s Community Safety team are fitting even more smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors, as part of their Safer Home visits in the county.
Last year, Suffolk Fire and Rescue carried out over 2000 safer home visits. The Fire Service conduct safer home visits for those in need in the county on a risk based approach with age, physical abilities highlighted as factors.
Statistics from CFOA show that the risk of dying in a fire for those aged 65 and over is more than twice as high as the average risk for all ages. With an ever-increasing older population – 23% of the UK will be aged 65 and over by 2035 – activities to help older people prevent fires and keep themselves safe are a growing part of the fire service’s work.
Councillor Matthew Hicks, Suffolk County Council’s cabinet member for Public Protection said:
“The Fire Service and health organisations play an important a role in helping older people remain safe and well in their own homes. The NHS states that 11.6% more people died in the winter months compared to non-winter months in 2013/14 in the U.K. Some of these deaths are preventable and that is why this partnership is vital to the county.”
“We know that older people are at highest risk of fire in the home and that is why that age group is targeted most keenly through our prevention work. A working smoke alarm can buy you and your family the valuable time you need to get out and call 999. You are four times more likely to survive a fire if you have a working smoke alarm. If you're worried about a relative or an elderly neighbour, I would encourage you to contact the Fire Service to arrange a Safer Home visit.”
Last year, there were 816 primary fire incidents in Suffolk and 31 of those involved residents who were aged 60 and above. So far this year, older people have made up 41.25% of the total number of casualties in fire incidents.
A safer home visit is free and available to all residents in Suffolk to help them prevent a fire in their home. A visit can be booked by calling the Community Safety team on 01473 260588.
This prevention work is particularly important as from 1 October 2015, every privately rented property will need to have a working smoke alarm on every floor as per the new regulation announced by Central Government. A working carbon monoxide alarm is also required in properties that use and burn solid fuels. Landlords must check the alarms are working at the start of every new tenancy with potential penalties of up to £5,000 if they don’t comply
Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service have over 4000 smoke alarms and 7000 carbon monoxide alarms to give out to local landlords.
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new york, USAPosted by anonymox111 at 5:32PM on 1st October, 2015. (83.170.xxx.xxx)
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