Essex CFRS & Obese lifting
Essex County Fire and Rescue Service is responding to an average of less than two calls each week to assist in lifting obese patients.
Chief Fire Officer David Johnson says ECFRS is an emergency service with an ethos to assist people in distress or at risk, regardless of their physical health.
With 390 calls related to assisting obese people in the last four years, Essex has the highest incidence of these type of calls in the UK. All 86 calls last year were to assist the Ambulance Service.
“We are responding to people often with a life risk, a threat to their health and nearly always in severe distress,” said CFO Johnson. “We cannot legislate for the number of calls we receive, this is an indication of a wider social issue. I cannot imagine for a minute that anyone would suggest that we leave people lying on the floor, stuck in their baths or in bed upstairs because of their size. Leaving people in our communities in severe distress flies in the face of everything the fire service stands for.
“What this issue does highlight, however, is the broadening of the Fire Service role, on many occasions in line with the expectations of our communities. We also, however, have an obligation to our firefighters and, as such, new or changed roles do bring about the requirement for new equipment and skills.
“As ever, our firefighters rise magnificently to the challenge and continue to provide a world class emergency service.
“As a fire service, we cannot tackle the root of the problem of growing obesity, that’s a much wider social issue.”
CFO Johnson was speaking after the publication of a report published by the Conservative Party today (Friday) which claims UK fire and rescue services are responding to incidents of this kind at least once a day. The information has been gathered through freedom of information requests to UK fire and rescue services and presented in the report which criticises the Government for its management of the NHS and for its performance in tackling rising obesity.
