News release text
The quick and professional actions of a Broadstairs carer are being praised by firefighters this morning.
When the carer arrived at her elderly clients Bairds Hill home, just before 7.30pm last night (Friday), she discovered a pan that had been left on the hob and caught alight. The carer persuaded her client, thought to be in her late 60’s, to leave her home and reduced the spread of fire and smoke damage by closing the kitchen door as they left the flat.
Fire crews were quickly on the scene after receiving the 999 call and used a high pressure hose reel to extinguish the small fire and a positive pressure ventilation fan to clear smoke from the property.
Ramsgate Watch Manager, Chris Nation, said: “Both women took in several lungs full of thick acrid smoke and had to be taken to hospital by ambulance for precautionary checks. Had the carer not been there at the time and carried out these actions, the resident could well have been in a life-threatening situation or seriously hurt and the fire is likely to have spread to other areas of the flat.”
The oldest members of our community are most at risk and even if they already have a smoke alarm a combination of factors can significantly increase the risk of an older person suffering a house fire. Things to look out for are:
Someone who lives alone
Has health or mobility problems
Uses an old unstable heater or open fire
Smokers or someone who likes a drink
Someone on medication that makes them sleepy
Someone who has things stacked up in the hall or other rooms that might prevent them escaping a fire
Kent Fire and Rescue Services offer free home safety advice and can visit an elderly or vulnerable person in their home. Visits take about 30 minutes and our staff can offer safety advice and will fit, where needed, free smoke alarms and other help such as fire proof blankets, alarms for people with hearing problems or cooker shut offs if someone getting forgetful about turning off the cooker. Call free from landlines on 0800 923 7000, email contact details to home@kent.fire-uk.org or visit www.saferwinter.info
