FIREFIGHTERS will repair loose floorboards and threadbare carpets in elderly people’s homes under radical plans to prevent hundreds of pensioners dying every year from falls.

In a move that will significantly expand the scope of their duties, fire crews will receive training to identify and repair domestic hazards.

More than 860 pensioners in Scotland died last year from falling in their homes.

Unplanned hospital admissions for older people cost the NHS and councils around £1.4 billion a year – more than home care, care homes and most of GP prescribing combined With a growing appreciation for preventative work, there have been fewer fire incidents for the service to attend in recent years prompting a wide-ranging reappraisal of firefighters duties which will see officers being retrained in a series of different roles to meet the demands of communities.

Under the new plan, firefighters will inspect homes and repair unsafe carpets, remove any slip threats and rearrange any dangerous furniture to minimise the risk of injury.

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service Board chairman Pat Watters said: “We have widespread access to homes now and anyone can call us out for an inspection. If we can cut the number of preventable deaths then it will be a success.”

Fire crews will also plug the gaps as ancillary paramedics and support workers as well as being trained to assist members of the public suffering from dementia and Alzheimer’s, while some are already capable of dealing with instances of cardiac arrest.

Some firefighters across rural Scotland have already been retrained to resuscitate heart attack patients in a move that provided a major boost to survival rates.

Medics and charities have welcomed the moves to extend the role of firefighters in treating the elderly.

Chair of BMA Scotland Dr Peter Bennie said: “This is an interesting idea and if firefighters have the opportunity and capacity to make home environments safer for older people without compromising their core functions, then that could be of real benefit.

“When it comes to falls and other accidents, prevention is undoubtedly better than treatment for both the individual concerned and the health service’s strained resources.

“This is potentially a good example of the kind of change that can be made outside the scope of the NHS to achieve a positive benefit to the health of Scotland’s population and underlines why there should be a health in all policies approach to all Government decision making.”

Age Scotland’s Charity Director, Keith Robson said the additional responsibility could make a “big difference to the safety of older and more vulnerable people”.

And he added: “It’s shocking that so many older people die every year through preventable falls, while many more sustain injuries which can result in them losing their independence.

“Firefighters already do a fantastic job of educating people on fire prevention, so it makes sense to widen their role to look at all-round safety in the home. In some cases, simple measures such as securing loose rugs or repairing floorboards can prevent a serious injury or even death. These safety checks will also give older residents and their families greater peace of mind, especially if they live alone.

The planned changes come as the unified fire force faces major budget demands and management drafts up proposals to transform the service for decades. Iain Bushell, deputy chief officer of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, said: “The role that we play has changed over the years and we must adapt to meet the future demands of the service and the communities we serve.

“My priority is the safety of my officers and trying to avoid putting them into potentially dangerous situations. If we can prevent the dangerous situations happening in the first place then my officers and general public will be safer.” He said in return for the changes, firefighters would receive a “significantly improved recognition package”.