UK firefighters have been doing an extra load of work - literally. Almost 2,000 obese people stuck in their houses had to be rescued in the past three years.
For medical experts, the figures reveal another problem of the obesity crisis: putting other people's lives at risk. Firefighters need to exert extra effort and deviate from their normal duties for them to rescue obese victims successfully.
Numbers Getting High
Over 5,000 members of fire and rescue departments responded to calls involving obese individuals.
According to the records provided by different rescue departments, emergency crews were asked to respond to a total of 1,866 bariatric missions from January 2013 to May 2015. Such numbers are not yet complete as not all departments were able to submit their records.
Unconventional Rescue Operations
Rescuing obese individuals requires special tools such as crowbars, electrical saws, animal harness, aerial ladders and chimney rods, among others.
Matt Wrack from Fire Brigades Union said that for each incident involving an obese individual, four to five staff members are usually tapped to perform the mission. This is because the incident will surely require lifting a heavy person in a difficult position.
On April 2015, different rescue departments had to use seven police cars, two cranes, two fire engines and seven hours of work in order to lift Georgia Davis, Britain's fattest woman.
Dewi Rose from South Wales Fire and Rescue Service said, however, that not all their missions involving obese people required medical evacuations and ambulance conduction. Some just remained inside the house and were just provided adequate support and assistance.
At present, there is now a better understanding of handling situations involving bariatric individuals, said Rose. Workers are now better at determining which services are suitable for each individual incident. "The service continues to work with all its partners to ensure we meet the needs of all of our community," she said.
Increased Costs
Wrack added that the increase in obesity-related missions is coming at a time when fire services are experiencing budget cuts. Dispatching a fire engine costs approximately £400 ($592).
To respond to the growing need, more than 800 ambulances must be deployed to help morbidly obese individuals. Each ambulance is estimated to cost around £100,000 ($148,175) each.
Obese and overweight adults in the UK comprised 25 and 40 percent of the entire population, respectively. Overall, the government stashes approximately £10 billion (or $14.8 billion) every year to accommodate their needs.
Such situation challenges UK's medical services, pushing hospitals to spend around £7 million or $10.3 million to widen corridors, make bigger wheelchairs and build larger morgue fridges.
Fighting The Real Problem
The root of the problem is the lifestyle that the present generation has learned to live. Kieron Gough, director at a Slimming World company in Cynon Valley said that more 20-year-old individuals find it easier to get fast food than prepare home-cooked meals.
Lack of education across different age groups is the prevailing issue and the problem cannot be solved unless this is addressed, Gough said.
He also believes that it is a generational thing, citing how fewer children play in the streets and more professionals drive instead of walk to work. "That generational gap has a huge impact upon that," he said.
Photo: Ken Mist | Flickr
