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Risk of injury
Not only are vulnerable people more prone to having fires in their home, they are also more likely to be killed or seriously injured in any fire that does occur. There are three main reasons for this...
Vulnerable people are more likely to have older
furniture/furnishings and to hoard materials that add to the fire
loading such as newspapers, cardboard boxes etc. This will
cause:
• Faster spread and greater intensity of the fire
• Greater toxicity in the smoke - particularly from old foam-filled
furniture
Sensory perception / mobility difficulties / being isolated or
living alone directly affect a persons ability to escape, therefore
there is:
• A greater chance that they will be overcome by smoke or fire
before they can escape
• Greater exposure to smoke, heat and burns.
Ageing and ill-health increase the impact of a fire injury upon
a casualty. A mild fire injury for a young, fit person can kill a
frail elderly person.
The capacity for healing and recovery from a fire injury is
dramatically reduced for elderly people and those with
ill-health.
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