Firefighters see the risks in older people's homes: do we use their local kowledge in social care?

A local newspaper report of the risks firefighters see in older people's homes. How can we work to prevent these risks escalating as people become increasingly frail?

Here's what one of the firefighters says:

 I was given a referral for a Home Fire Risk Check (HFRC) and I remember knocking on the door and there was a long delay before it was opened. I wasn’t prepared for what I was met with – the elderly man was on the floor, he greeted me and then asked me to follow him into the living area and he literally dragged himself across the floor using his hands. The man had chronic knee pain and was unable to walk. Obviously this was a big concern for us in relation to fire safety because if there was a fire he would struggle to evacuate safely. However, we don’t just look at fire safety we look at the person’s overall wellbeing and see how we can help them further, in this case we referred him to the NHS Falls Team so he could receive the support he required for his condition.

I don't think I've ever had a referral from the fire service, and I wonder how many sociaa care services have thought about appropriate referral links.

Link to Leek Post and Times article