Hampshire fire crews called to help paramedics move eight severely overweight people last year, figures show

Freedom of Information requests show the average cost to some fire services for each call-out for bariatric assistance is £400.

This would mean the cost accrued by Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service for the jobs in 2019 might have come to about £3,200.

Firefighters often need lifting equipment and special slings to transport obese people and sometimes have to remove windows, walls and banisters.

Public sector union Unison said extreme obesity is a worsening problem for paramedics, with calls to the fire brigade becoming more common.

Colm Porter, the body’s national ambulance officer, said: ‘Going beyond the safe working load for specialist equipment creates dangers for both crews and patients.

‘Staff have to assess each situation to decide whether they need assistance from other emergency services.’

Across England, crews recorded more than 1,200 incidents last year, a 17 per cent rise on 2017-18, and almost triple the 429 recorded in 2012-13.

It is becoming a larger issue for Hampshire’s firefighters, who attended seven of the call-outs in 2018.

Last year bariatric assistances in the county required one fire engine or other vehicle.

Firefighters spent between 30 and 45 minutes at each scene.

At least 10 crew members were needed for one of the call-outs.

Tam Fry, chairman of the National Obesity Forum, said the failure of successive governments to tackle the country's obesity problem was to blame for the ‘appalling’ figures.

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He added: 'As the already fat get even fatter expect an even larger number next year.

‘Society's main concern must be that crews engaged hauling the morbidly obese from their houses are unavailable to fulfil their principal duty of hauling people from burning buildings.

‘If one death should occur as a result it would be a calamity and rightly see the government disgraced.’

A Department of Health and Social Care spokeswoman added: ‘Tackling obesity is a priority for this government, and we are committed to halving childhood obesity rates by 2030.

‘Robust government action has decreased the sugar content in soft drinks by almost a third and we’ve invested millions promoting physical activity in schools.’