Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service hosted Fire Safety Training at NRS Healthcare as part of an initiative to support the safety and wellbeing of residents in the communities it serves.

Station Commander James Ball and Community Safety Office Jill Gibbs delivered the session to nine colleagues from NRS to equip them with the necessary skills and knowledge to identify fire safety risks in residential settings.

SC Ball said:

“As a fire and rescue service, we are keen to offer home fire safety training to organisations that visit and support the most vulnerable people in our communities. This training will allow staff at NRS to recognise fire hazards in the home, to understand the work that Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service does and the interventions it offers to support people. It also strengthens the referral pathways for raising concerns they have for their clients.”

The Fire Service began working in partnership with NRS Healthcare following a fire in Cambridge when it realised our colleagues were visiting vulnerable people and fitting equipment and that they would potentially benefit from a Safe and Well visit.

During a free Safe and Well visit, residents will learn about fire safety in the home including cooking, general safety, bedtime routines and escape plans; fall prevention; how to stay well and warm, as well as get advice on making their homes more secure and more aware of scams. The visit may also include fitting smoke alarms.

NRS Healthcare colleagues work closely with vulnerable people in the community by delivering, installing, maintaining and collecting equipment that enables them to live independently and in their own homes for longer. A referral process enables our staff to pass on consented referrals of those they feel would benefit from a fire safety visit.

Dave McGee is Service Manager at the NRS Cambridges and peterborough depot in Huntingdon and attended the training alongside service and maintenance engineers, a telecare technician, Fleets Ops manager and supervisor. He said:

“It is great to work in partnership with Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service. Their training sessions helped open our eyes to some of the risks that may be present in the homes of the more vulnerable people our colleagues visit on a day-to-day basis. Knowing what to look out for and how to raise awareness could really make a different to someone’s safety. Helping make people feel more comfortable in their own homes is at the heart of everything we do and this training goes even further to us achieving that.”

SC Ball added:

“We are grateful to Dave and his team for having us. It was a real pleasure to see such a dedicated team of individuals so keen to know what they can do to make people safer in their homes.”