Fighting smoking together

Authors:
Jane Oliver and Agnes Allan

Presenter:
Jane Oliver
Health Improvement Programme Officer, NHS Health Scotland, Glasgow, UK

Abstract
Smoking is one of the leading causes of house fires in Scotland. Second-hand smoke in the home is also a major health risk, especially for young children. NHS Health Scotland and the Strathclyde Fire and Rescue brigade both have a strong interest in getting people to stop smoking.

Every year, Strathclyde Fire and Rescue (SFR) officers conduct around 10,000 free home safety visits to offer fire safety advice.
They will now carry Health Scotland’s Smokeline card and ‘Passive Smoking – Unclouding the Issue’ leaflet in their residents’ packs, and hand these out where it is deemed relevant. Fire officers will not offer health advice, instead directing smokers to Smokeline, Health Scotland’s free phone smoking cessation advice line.

SFR have also agreed to display the Aspire poster and magazine in all their stations and to use them in community safety talks.

Health and fire issues are inextricably linked and those involved are confident this approach will be effective.

Source of funding: NHS Health Scotland, Strathclyde Fire and Rescue

Declaration of interest: none