Elderly people have been advised to wear wool – not to stay warm, but to protect them from fire.
The suggestion comes after it was revealed around half of fire deaths in East Sussex were linked to flammable clothing.
Wool and silk material burns slowly but cotton and synthetic rayon can catch fire rapidly and could be the difference between life and death.
A coroner recently raised concerns about the frequency of deaths linked to the accidental ignition of clothing.
Elderly or immobile people are at greater risk of dying after their clothing catches fire – particularly smokers.
Mark Hobbs, East Sussex Fire and Rescue safety manager, said: “Depending on the type of fabric, its textile construction, its weave, weight, and finish, as well as looseness of fit, clothing can pose a serious risk of burn injury if these properties cause clothing to ignite quickly and burn rapidly.
“While there is a mandatory standard to reduce the risk of burns from children’s nightwear, there are currently no compulsory safety requirements for other children’s clothing or for any adult clothing.
“Burns from clothing fires are a significant cause of serious injury and death – particularly in older age groups, where incidents are mainly related to robes, pyjamas and nightgowns.”
In 2011, eleven vulnerable elderly people died in fires in East Sussex and Brighton and Hove.
Mark Rist, borough commander for Brighton and Hove, said: “It’s common for us to be on site after a fire death and for Meals on Wheels to turn up.
“People are staying in their homes when they are not really fit to take care of themselves and in some tragic cases this has led to their deaths.”
West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service is running a campaign to protect vulnerable residents called ‘Who Cares?’ Last year six people lost their lives in accidental house fires in West Sussex – all over the age of 70.
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