Front line emergency services staff are primed and ready to respond to a new project aimed at identifying and helping vulnerable tenants and home owners living in fuel poverty.
The pilot scheme, “The Home Heating Heroes” project in North Tyneside is based on the fact that sadly, many people only see other people when something goes wrong in their homes.
The project is the creation of the Green North Tyneside Partnership Board and involves staff from the Patient Transport Service, Northumbria Police and Tyne and Wear Fire & Rescue Service, Safe and Healthy Homes and Warm Zones who have been carrying out training sessions to emergency service team leaders.
Warm Zones Survey Manager, John Leslie believes that the project will highlight those vulnerable customers who are fuel poor and need help to ensure their homes are warm and their health is good.
“We are working in North Tyneside to reduce fuel poverty and improve energy efficiency in everyone’s homes. Warmer homes lead to healthier homes and this is a unique project that quite simply will help to save lives and reduce the number of unnecessary winter deaths.
“The project gives Warm Zones an extra pair of eyes and ears into the community and with the help of the emergency services allows us to reach the parts that no other services can reach.”
Cllr John Stirling, Cabinet Member for Environment said: “We’re delighted that the Green North Tyneside Board is supporting our safe and healthy homes team in this way. Together, we are working really hard to improve the health of our residents.
“Our team provides an invaluable service to residents, helping to fix any issues within their homes that may affect their health, including heating improvements to prevent people from living in fuel poverty. By training frontline emergency services to spot the signs of fuel poverty, it means we have extra support in identifying those residents who may benefit from the help available.”
The three month scheme will be based on the premise that front line emergency services staff will engage on a day to day basis with potential vulnerable tenants and home owners living in circumstances of fuel poverty. The project is funded through North Tyneside Council and the North Tyneside Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).
ENDS
Photo shows: Warm Zones manager Jill Delf with members of the emergency services (in various poses!) John Lesley from Warm Zones is in red next to Ambulance
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