Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service community events

Staff who carry out the safe and well visits fit smoke alarms for free and give advice on personal safety and wellbeing.

Crews have received additional training so they can recognise winter-related  illnesses and issues, such as falls, cold homes, flu and social isolation during health and wellbeing checks for the over 65s.

The visits are in partnership with Public Health England, which is supporting fire and rescue service to address winter issues as well as fire safety across Gloucestershire. There are seven community events planned, all in local town centres:

• Dursley – 21 November 2015
• Cinderford - 28 November 2015
• Cheltenham - 5 December 2015
• Gloucester - 12 December 2015
• Stroud - 19 December 2015
• Tewkesbury - 6 February 2016

Four thousand, one hundred and forty-five safe and well visits were carried out in 2014/15 to help improve safety in the home.

These additional checks are being delivered as part of a pilot run by Public Health England, which has provided funding to three national fire and rescue services including Gloucestershire in an aim to talk to more people over 65 about staying safe and well in winter.

Safe and well visits are a way of proactively working with communities to significantly reduce the number of incidents that can occur.

Village Agents, Trading Standards, Road Safety Partnership, local police, Red Cross and more will also be at the events.

Cllr Will Windsor-Clive, cabinet member for fire, planning and infrastructure said: “We want to make sure everyone is prepared for the winter and the conditions that come with the season.

“By offering our communities a visit from our fire and rescue service, we hope to make sure that people know how to stay safe and well this winter. Come along to these local events and find out more.”

If you know of someone who is over 65 and would benefit from a free safe and well check please request a visit online or GFRS on 0800 180 41 40.