30 September 2014

Two rescues highlight vulnerable people safety campaign

Two vulnerable adults have been rescued from fires inside 24 hours, as Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service (HFRS) launches a lifesaving campaign to improve the safety of older people.
Yesterday (September 29) firefighters and police rescued an 86-year-old disabled lady from a fire in her home in Portsmouth. The cause of the fire was a heater left on a foamed cushioned chair.
Crews then assisted an older couple from their thatched property in Andover this morning (September 30). In this case the cause of the fire was an electrical fault following the overloading of plug sockets.
These incidents are a timely reminder of fire safety for vulnerable people in the community, with the Service launching its older person’s campaign at the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth tomorrow (October 1).
During the three-month campaign HFRS will be asking the public to help raise awareness of basic life-saving fire safety measures, such as a working smoke alarm, with older people.
Assistant Chief Officer Neil Odin said: “Our research shows that people aged 65 and over are a significantly more vulnerable group in society when it comes to dwelling fire fatalities.

“We need everybody in Hampshire on board to help make this an even safer county for elderly people. We are urging friends, families and neighbours of elderly people to help them test smoke detectors in their homes and visit www.hantsfire.gov.uk/homesafetyvisits for more fire safety advice.

“We also offer free home safety visits to vulnerable groups to help give them peace of mind and are encouraging people to contact us to find out about these.”

Do you know an older person? If a fire occurred in their home could they raise the alarm and could they escape? By simply testing their smoke alarm when you test your own could save their life, give peace of mind and help them remain safe in their own home.
If you know an older person – a family member, friend or neighbour – further home safety advice can be found at www.hantsfire.gov.uk/athome. You can also call 023 8062 6809 to speak to the Service’s Community Safety team or email community.firesafety@hantsfire.gov.uk

Home safety advice:

– Test the batteries of your smoke detector once a week: more than 75% of house fires had a fitted smoke alarm but less than half activated because of missing batteries and defective alarms.
– Stub out cigarettes properly and dispose of them carefully: just over half of house fire fatalities occur due to discarded smoking materials.
– Don’t overload plug sockets and unplug appliances when not in use.
– Never leave cooking unattended and keep electrical leads, tea towels and cloths away from the oven or hob.
– Try to secure heaters against a wall for stability and keep heaters clear from curtains and furniture.
– Test electric blankets regularly: Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service hold regular blanket testing sessions at public venues in partnership with Trading Standards. Call 023 8062 6809 for more information
– If you have any concerns about your gas appliances, arrange for a Gas Safe registered engineer to safety check or service your appliance immediately
Julie Jacobs ACIM
Communications Officer

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