This Is Cheshire

Look after elderly neighbours

From the Guardian Series, first published Thursday 9th Jan 2003.

LOOK after your elderly neighbours is the latest message from Cheshire Fire Service.

With temperatures plunging below zero Cheshire Fire Service and social services are urging neighbours to check on the elderly to ensure that they are both safe and warm.

This warning follows a serious fire in Poynton, in which an elderly person was severely injured.

Cheshire's Fire Chief Steve McGuirk said: "During this cold weather we all know that our houses take extra heating, last night's incident highlights the vulnerability of a large number of elderly people within our communities.

"Circumstances which led to this fire were, sad to say, almost textbook.

"The elderly woman in question, who was 91 years of age, had an open fire in front of which she was drying some clothing.

"The clothing caught fire, spreading to a nearby armchair."

Andrew Webb, Cheshire's acting director of social services, said: "This incident highlights the vulnerability of our elderly people at this time of year and the value of this sort of help and consideration from neighbours cannot be stressed too highly.

"It might only take a few minutes to check, but that few minutes might well save lives."

In order to help elderly neighbours the fire service has issued the following checklist:

l Ensure that they have a working smoke alarm

l Make sure they use a fireguard

l Encourage them to use heating methods other than open fires,

l Do not dry clothes in front of an open fire.

Cheshire Fire Service will conduct a free home fire safety check which can be booked by ringing 0800 389 0053.

jdriscoll@guardiangrp.co.uk

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