View report page

small number, fortunately, for our district, and as we know that large numbers
of people have to be treated by their private doctors and in hospitals following
home accidents, it was thought that a useful survey might be undertaken as a
guide for future action, in education, in obtaining improvements in house construction
and in furniture and equipment manufacture, on better fire precautions,
and other relevant matters, if home accidents could be made notifiable in the
same way as infectious diseases The Home safety Sub-Committee agreed to pay
for such notifications by doctors and hospitals in the same way as are infectious
disease notifications but at the end of the year no information was coming in,
so the Survey had to be postponed and Home Safety Education continued on the
lines outlined in various national campaigns on particular subjects which were
organised by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents The gradual
elimination of dangerous oil heaters, an increase in the sale of flame prorf
underwear and nightwear for children the manufacture of panguards for the tops
of cookers, the improvements of taps on gas cookers and gas pokers were all
useful in reducing the risks of home accident and the provision of guard rails
for baths and in old people s halls and doorways were gradually becoming more
accepted as routine planning Many old houses in the Borough had steep circular
stairs with no handrails and no light, and they are gradually being demolished
and replaced by safer modern dwellings
The North Thames Gas Board who in 1956 offered a free service of inspection
of the gas appliances and service pipes in houses of old age pensioners living
alone, continued to arrange for inspections during the year The reason for
this was in order to reduce the risk of gas poisoning , a frequent cause of home
accidents and fatalities in old people
The offer was to include replacement of faulty pipes and the repair of
faulty appliances these services being given free if circumstances warranted
this
GENERAL
The Public Duty Officer of the St John Ambulance Brigade and the Divisional
Director of the British Red Cross Society have kindly supplied information concerning
their welfare work in the Borough
St. John Ambulance Brigade
There are 4 Divisions of St John Ambulance Brigade in this Borough
No 54 Brentford & Chiswick Ambulance Division
No 135 Brentford & Chiswick Nursing Division
No 95 Brentford & chiswick Ambulance Cadet Division
No 86 Brentford & chiswick Nursing Cadet Division
The Divisions have 76 uniformed members in the Borough who, between them
performed 2 851 (2 810 in 1962) hours of voluntary public duty
The No 54 Brentford and Chiswick Ambulance Division covers duties at the
Brentford Football Ground, at various Sports Meetings and cricket matches They
supply an Instructor for First Aid and organise St John Ambulance Association
classes for the local Civil Defence Corps and they also instruct in First Aid
certain local Scout troops They send attendants to Old People s gatherings
and outings
The members of the No 135 Brentford and Chiswick Nursing Division do duty
at local Sports Meetings Public gatherings and entertainments All members of
the Division are also members of the National Hospital Service Reserve and avail-
40