FIREFIGHTERS have been called out to rescue at least 220 obese Scots over the past five years who were too overweight to move themselves.
Victims – some weighing up to 50 stone – had to be lifted to safety after falling off beds, chairs and hospital trolleys or getting jammed in baths, toilets and behind doors.
Firefighters were summoned by police, ambulance crews, coastguards, carers and even undertakers – who were physically unable to move obese people. In some cases it was necessary for crews to use specialist lifting equipment.
Figures released under Freedom of Information show there have been at least 224 firefighter rescues of obese Scots since 2007. The total figure is likely to be much higher because Scotland's second-biggest brigade, Lothian and Borders, refused to provide the information, claiming it was not held.
Glasgow University revealed last week that Scots have become heavier and fatter in the past 10 years, with a higher body mass index and waist circumference, especially in older women.
Grampian Fire and Rescue Service revealed it had recorded 11 cases since 2009 where it was called in to move "bariatric casualties" – the formal term for obese patients.
In one case, 12 Grampian firefighters were called in to carry an obese patient from their home to a waiting ambulance.
The brigade also documents a case from 2009 when seven firefighters used an aerial ladder platform, fracture steps and a general purpose line to move an obese casualty "from house to ambulance through window".
Highlands and Islands moved 48 obese people over the five-year period. In once case officers had to use slings to help move a "large lady" who had "fallen on her front and could not get up".
In 2008, the brigade was contacted by the coastguard to help lift an obese patient in a stretcher up a hill path.
In Tayside, fire crews were contacted 61 times and helped funeral directors move deceased people on three occasions in the past five years.
Strathclyde only provided figures from 2007 to 2009 but these show they were called to 65 rescues of obese patients.
Fife Fire Brigade were called out 15 times in five years, reporting that in one case a patient was "stuck on the stairs".
Central firefighters helped rescue 21 overweight people.
Dumfries and Galloway attended three incidents and provided information on the costs. In one case, where six firefighters had to assist a 50-year-old woman, the cost was put at £465 for 90 minutes' work. Other rescues were said to cost £60.
These rates, if applied to all the known rescues, suggest a five-year bill of £34,000.
A spokesman from Taxpayer Scotland said: "Perhaps the emergency services need to start thinking about applying charges for people in non-urgent cases. Otherwise these people will become a burden to everyone."
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article