Emergency service obesity calls in Lincolnshire double

Firefighters in Lincolnshire have seen a doubling in the number of calls to assist the ambulance service treat obese people in one year.

Last year Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service attended 37 incidents, compared with 16 in 2014 /2015.

The service is now carrying out special training sessions using a 28 stone (179kg) dummy.

Figures obtained by the BBC show a rise in "bariatric rescues" from four assistance requests in 2011/12.

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The type of rescues logged by the fire service included removing bedroom doors and banisters, to using lifting equipment to help patients from their homes into ambulances.

Spencer Creek, technical response manger for the service said that more than 60 firefighters had taken the specialist training course.

"What we are looking at now is how the guys practically deal with the weight of the casualty," he said.

"And how do we deal with it in a number of different scenarios."

As well as the training, the service has invested in specialist equipment including, inflatable chairs and strengthened stretchers at the cost of £3,000 per fire engine.

East Midlands Ambulance Service has equipped all its ambulances with stretchers capable of holding patients weighing up to 30 stones (190kg).