0:00:00 > 0:00:03Everything has an impact on your life.
0:00:03 > 0:00:04Whatever your age.
0:00:04 > 0:00:07From the type of house we live in...
0:00:07 > 0:00:08Oh, this looks nice.
0:00:08 > 0:00:12Yes, it's been completely renovated throughout.
0:00:12 > 0:00:13To how much money we have to spend...
0:00:13 > 0:00:16Your wage ends up being like a normal working wage, which is good.
0:00:16 > 0:00:18..what we put in our bodies...
0:00:18 > 0:00:22I don't think I've ever been fat fat, but I have put weight on.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25..to the secrets of our genetic make-up.
0:00:25 > 0:00:27You are going to live to be 140.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29That'll do. I'll take everything I can get.
0:00:29 > 0:00:33So, finding out about all those things and more
0:00:33 > 0:00:35could help you mature brilliantly.
0:00:35 > 0:00:39Or slow down the ageing process just a little.
0:00:39 > 0:00:44We track down the very best tips and advice for holding back the years.
0:00:44 > 0:00:48And, now, with the help of our team, we're going to pass them on to you.
0:00:48 > 0:00:51To show you how to have the time of your life.
0:00:51 > 0:00:52Whenever that may be.
0:00:56 > 0:01:00Hello and welcome to the show that says you might not be able to stop
0:01:00 > 0:01:04- getting older...- But with our help, you can give it a blooming good try.
0:01:04 > 0:01:05Here's what's coming up.
0:01:07 > 0:01:11Alarming statistics show that over-60s are the most vulnerable
0:01:11 > 0:01:13when it comes to house-fire fatalities.
0:01:13 > 0:01:18So how do you get peace of mind for your loved ones and yourself?
0:01:18 > 0:01:19I've been finding out.
0:01:19 > 0:01:21The fact that you didn't have a working smoke alarm
0:01:21 > 0:01:24- to give you early warning...- Right. - That can make a real difference...
0:01:24 > 0:01:27I know now. I know now. It's too late.
0:01:27 > 0:01:29Our resident GP, Dr Rangan Chatterjee,
0:01:29 > 0:01:31is here to encourage you to know your numbers
0:01:31 > 0:01:34when it comes to blood pressure.
0:01:34 > 0:01:35It is a tad high today.
0:01:35 > 0:01:38But there can be many factors why we have high readings.
0:01:38 > 0:01:39- Yeah.- Rushing around,
0:01:39 > 0:01:42being pulled over by someone to have your blood pressure taken...
0:01:42 > 0:01:46And male pattern baldness, is there a cost-effective cure?
0:01:46 > 0:01:49Bill gets wiggy with it to find out.
0:01:49 > 0:01:51Would you be attracted to a man who had no hair?
0:01:51 > 0:01:54- Yeah.- Do you prefer men with hair or without hair?
0:01:54 > 0:01:56If you're Bruce Willis, then that's different.
0:01:56 > 0:01:58THEY LAUGH
0:01:59 > 0:02:02Making sure we're all safe in our homes
0:02:02 > 0:02:04is obviously crucial to a long and happy life.
0:02:04 > 0:02:07One of the dangers we fear most, though, is fire.
0:02:07 > 0:02:11Which is why planning for the worst-case scenario is crucial.
0:02:11 > 0:02:13But what does that look like?
0:02:13 > 0:02:14Well, Fiona went to see for herself.
0:02:16 > 0:02:21This is what the aftermath of a serious house fire looks like.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24The prospect of being stuck in a scenario like that would be
0:02:24 > 0:02:26terrifying at any age.
0:02:28 > 0:02:32But statistics show that older people are more at risk than others.
0:02:32 > 0:02:37Shockingly, fire deaths amongst the over-65s account for a third of
0:02:37 > 0:02:39total fatalities.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42Even those that survive don't escape unharmed.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45Sometimes it's the scars on the inside
0:02:45 > 0:02:46that take the longest to heal.
0:02:48 > 0:02:53Last year, 77-year-old Gemma McDaid from Londonderry was caught
0:02:53 > 0:02:55in a fire that almost took her life.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58Today, I'm meeting her at her sister's house.
0:03:00 > 0:03:02I turned on my wee electric fire,
0:03:02 > 0:03:05two-bar electric fire was on the ground,
0:03:05 > 0:03:07- which I always do every night to heat up the room...- Yeah.
0:03:07 > 0:03:08..for it's a cold bungalow.
0:03:09 > 0:03:13And when I lifted the tea and toast to go out into my living room...
0:03:15 > 0:03:17..the light has all went black.
0:03:18 > 0:03:20And I saw some smoke coming from my bedroom.
0:03:20 > 0:03:24And I thought it was somebody's chimney was on fire.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27As I pushed the bedroom door open,
0:03:27 > 0:03:30the flames just started then getting worse
0:03:30 > 0:03:32and the whole place was on fire
0:03:32 > 0:03:34and I was calling for my cat.
0:03:34 > 0:03:38Gemma believes the fire may have started from clothes she'd
0:03:38 > 0:03:41inadvertently left too near the electric heater.
0:03:42 > 0:03:46The sleeves or something must've been hanging down...
0:03:46 > 0:03:48to the ground and the fire...
0:03:48 > 0:03:50It must've been on top of the fire.
0:03:50 > 0:03:52And how quickly did this all happened?
0:03:52 > 0:03:55Inside... Oh, it just took...
0:03:55 > 0:03:58My bedroom's about seven seconds out into my kitchen.
0:03:58 > 0:04:01- FIONA SIGHS - That's how quick it went.
0:04:01 > 0:04:04But Gemma made an almost fatal mistake.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07One that really could've cost her her life.
0:04:07 > 0:04:09She went back in for her cat.
0:04:09 > 0:04:11I thought he was in the bedroom.
0:04:11 > 0:04:15But when I opened the front door, to call for help...
0:04:16 > 0:04:19..he must have got out and, in the panic, I didn't see him going out.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23And that's when I went back in again, looking for him.
0:04:25 > 0:04:26And...
0:04:27 > 0:04:29..I was crying, I didn't know...
0:04:29 > 0:04:31I thought he went up with the fire.
0:04:31 > 0:04:34And how did you get out in the end?
0:04:34 > 0:04:36A neighbour came up the footpath
0:04:36 > 0:04:39when, she says, she'd seen it from her bedroom. The flames.
0:04:39 > 0:04:43So she ran out and stopped a car and the fella...
0:04:43 > 0:04:45Luckily, he was a neighbour, an old neighbour of mine.
0:04:45 > 0:04:47And he came in and I wouldn't come out,
0:04:47 > 0:04:49looking for the cat and the flames was going round me.
0:04:49 > 0:04:53Gemma then tried to douse the flames with a bowl of water,
0:04:53 > 0:04:55but within a matter of moments,
0:04:55 > 0:04:58she was in danger of succumbing to the poisonous smoke.
0:04:58 > 0:05:02Luckily, Gemma's neighbour reacted quickly and pulled her out of the
0:05:02 > 0:05:06house. So, the nice gentleman got you out, the cat was already out...
0:05:06 > 0:05:10- Aye.- And I mean, how has that left you feeling now, Gemma?
0:05:10 > 0:05:12You've got a lovely smiley face.
0:05:12 > 0:05:13But you must have terrible memories.
0:05:13 > 0:05:15Oh, God!
0:05:15 > 0:05:16Terrible.
0:05:18 > 0:05:20Yeah, because I'd photographs of my mother and father,
0:05:20 > 0:05:22you know and...
0:05:22 > 0:05:26- my family.- They're the irreplaceable things, aren't they?- Mm.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29How vulnerable has it left you feeling now, Gemma?
0:05:29 > 0:05:30Oh, God!
0:05:31 > 0:05:34Terrible. I...
0:05:34 > 0:05:39It's the times when it comes back to me and I sit crying and...
0:05:39 > 0:05:40you know.
0:05:42 > 0:05:45- It's very much still with you, isn't it?- Oh, God!
0:05:45 > 0:05:47- And always will be.- Mm.
0:05:47 > 0:05:53And this is the house that Gemma escaped that fateful night -
0:05:53 > 0:05:55burnt-out and boarded-up -
0:05:55 > 0:06:00but, today, we've been given special access to see inside,
0:06:00 > 0:06:01as a warning.
0:06:02 > 0:06:05My guide is assistant chief fire officer Alan Walmsley
0:06:05 > 0:06:09of the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12It's a sight that's all too familiar for him.
0:06:12 > 0:06:16He believes this is a great example of how any of us
0:06:16 > 0:06:19could get things very wrong.
0:06:19 > 0:06:20The whole place went up, didn't it?
0:06:20 > 0:06:24Yeah, just shows you how quick smoke will spread right through the
0:06:24 > 0:06:27- whole building.- Yeah.- You can see the different layers of smoke
0:06:27 > 0:06:28throughout the different rooms...
0:06:28 > 0:06:31- Yeah.- ..tracing right back to where the actual fire started.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34So, how common are fires like this one?
0:06:34 > 0:06:37Accidental fires are very common right across the UK.
0:06:37 > 0:06:39From our perspective in Northern Ireland,
0:06:39 > 0:06:42last year, we had 826 accidental dwelling fires.
0:06:42 > 0:06:45826?!
0:06:45 > 0:06:47If you think about it, that's two or three everyday.
0:06:47 > 0:06:49- Good grief.- And when you look at the main causes,
0:06:49 > 0:06:51the fire we have seen here today,
0:06:51 > 0:06:53if you look at the three main causes,
0:06:53 > 0:06:55there's cooking and cooking appliances,
0:06:55 > 0:06:57it's electricity and electrical appliances, just...
0:06:57 > 0:06:58That we've seen here today.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01And smoking. So, it is a very common fire.
0:07:01 > 0:07:02Smoking's still a big cause.
0:07:02 > 0:07:07- Still a big cause, too.- So, where did Gemma go wrong, do you think?
0:07:07 > 0:07:09We use a very simple message. It's called a stop message.
0:07:09 > 0:07:10It's S-T-O-P.
0:07:10 > 0:07:15And if you think about this fire, S would stand for smoke alarm.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18- Mm-hm.- And for testing it weekly. Gemma's...- Testing it weekly,
0:07:18 > 0:07:19- as often as that? OK.- Yeah,
0:07:19 > 0:07:22it's a very simple thing we use, it's across the UK Fire Service now,
0:07:22 > 0:07:24is Test It Tuesday. It's a really simple message.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27And Gemma's been very brave and honest in telling us that she'd
0:07:27 > 0:07:29taken her smoke alarm down a number of months ago,
0:07:29 > 0:07:31so she'd no smoke alarm and it wasn't being tested weekly.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34When you look at the O of stop, it's about obvious causes of fire.
0:07:34 > 0:07:36And you've seen what caused the fire.
0:07:36 > 0:07:38- That two-bar fire.- Yeah.- Exactly.
0:07:38 > 0:07:42And Gemma wasn't aware of the dangers of using that fire.
0:07:42 > 0:07:44And it was a genuine mistake on her part,
0:07:44 > 0:07:47but that was the danger. And the most important part was the P,
0:07:47 > 0:07:50the fire escape plan. When you think about what Gemma did on that
0:07:50 > 0:07:52- evening, she had such a lucky escape.- Yeah.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55I mean, you've seen the size of the bowl that Gemma tried to tackle that
0:07:55 > 0:07:57fire with, which we would never recommend.
0:07:57 > 0:07:59And, look, we all have pets and we all love our animals.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02But Gemma went in to try and rescue a cat.
0:08:02 > 0:08:04Really, what we want people to do is get out
0:08:04 > 0:08:07- and be safe.- So get out, don't try and tackle it,
0:08:07 > 0:08:10- don't try and save animals, don't...- No.- Just get out.
0:08:10 > 0:08:14Get out and stay out and call ourselves out.
0:08:14 > 0:08:18But sometimes, for older people, this isn't as simple as it sounds.
0:08:18 > 0:08:20Statistics show that in the UK,
0:08:20 > 0:08:24you're twice as likely to die in a house fire if you're over the age
0:08:24 > 0:08:28of 65, which leads me to one question...
0:08:30 > 0:08:33- Why are they so vulnerable? - It could be a range of issues.
0:08:33 > 0:08:35It could be, you know, as they get older there could be, you know,
0:08:35 > 0:08:37health issues, mobility issues,
0:08:37 > 0:08:39you know, social isolation issues.
0:08:39 > 0:08:43Two-thirds of our fire fatalities in the last two years have been people
0:08:43 > 0:08:45- living alone.- Mm-hm.- Again, if you look at Gemma's case, you know,
0:08:45 > 0:08:48living here alone, you know, it just heightens the risk factors.
0:08:48 > 0:08:52Yeah, so being over 50, being alone, that's the highest risk...
0:08:52 > 0:08:53Yeah. Yeah.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56And that's why, as a Fire and Rescue Service right across the UK,
0:08:56 > 0:08:58we're really trying to target that sort of group.
0:09:01 > 0:09:05It's time to take Gemma back to the scene of devastation which destroyed
0:09:05 > 0:09:10her home, consumed her belongings and very nearly stole her life.
0:09:10 > 0:09:13And taking her back to sift through this wreckage,
0:09:13 > 0:09:16it's clear the house is not the only thing to have suffered.
0:09:18 > 0:09:20What's going through your mind now, seeing it again?
0:09:20 > 0:09:22Just how stupid I was.
0:09:24 > 0:09:29How clumsy and forgetful and I...
0:09:29 > 0:09:32This is clearly very difficult for Gemma, but with the help of Alan
0:09:32 > 0:09:35Walmsley, maybe lessons can be learned.
0:09:36 > 0:09:39I can't imagine how you must be feeling, seeing it...
0:09:39 > 0:09:41- Feeling terrible.- Yeah.
0:09:41 > 0:09:42To be so stupid.
0:09:46 > 0:09:48Oh, gosh!
0:09:52 > 0:09:56Well, you've seen the damage in the hall but you can see the extent of
0:09:56 > 0:09:58the damage in here and, look, Gemma, you had such a lucky escape.
0:09:58 > 0:10:01- I know.- You really, really did.
0:10:02 > 0:10:04There's the fire.
0:10:04 > 0:10:07- Yes.- The offending fire. - FIONA GASPS
0:10:07 > 0:10:10And the chair that the clothes were on.
0:10:10 > 0:10:12Oh, that's where the clothes were, yeah.
0:10:12 > 0:10:17- Gosh.- And that's one of the bowls of water that
0:10:17 > 0:10:19- I chucked out there.- You can see the damage in this room.
0:10:19 > 0:10:21You can even see how low the smoke layer has gone.
0:10:21 > 0:10:25So the room would have been filled with black smoke,
0:10:25 > 0:10:28- right the way down to like...here. - Within seconds, as Gemma said,
0:10:28 > 0:10:30she left the room and within seconds
0:10:30 > 0:10:32that's what we were dealing with.
0:10:34 > 0:10:37Smoke is the silent killer.
0:10:37 > 0:10:40But a smoke alarm can provide precious seconds for people
0:10:40 > 0:10:42to get out of a burning building.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45Gemma, however, had forgotten to change the battery in hers.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48The fact that you didn't have a working smoke alarm to give your
0:10:48 > 0:10:50- early warning...- Right. - You know, that's where we can make
0:10:50 > 0:10:52- a real difference... - I know now. I know now.
0:10:52 > 0:10:54- It's too late.- But you had a smoke alarm, didn't you?
0:10:54 > 0:10:56I had a smoke alarm
0:10:56 > 0:10:58and it needed a battery in it
0:10:58 > 0:10:59and I kept forgetting...
0:10:59 > 0:11:02- Yeah.- ..all the time, that's about a few months ago.
0:11:03 > 0:11:05- Oh, I can't believe how... - And you just realised then how
0:11:05 > 0:11:09- stupid it was in the first... You know...- Yeah.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12It didn't even dawn on me at times.
0:11:12 > 0:11:16Look, Gemma, we get fires all the time caused by things like this,
0:11:16 > 0:11:17so it's not stupid.
0:11:17 > 0:11:19This happens every single day in Northern Ireland, fires,
0:11:19 > 0:11:22and the main thing's to try and learn from this. I mean,
0:11:22 > 0:11:25- you really did have a lucky escape. - I did. I know I did.
0:11:25 > 0:11:30Gemma was clearly very lucky to survive this house fire,
0:11:30 > 0:11:32but we don't want you to rely on luck alone,
0:11:32 > 0:11:36so, later in the programme, we'll be looking at smoke alarms...
0:11:36 > 0:11:40All the manufacturers generally give you a little map on the back
0:11:40 > 0:11:42- where to put them. - ..how to plan an escape route...
0:11:42 > 0:11:46It's almost impossible not to breathe in the smoke.
0:11:46 > 0:11:51..and making Gemma feel safe again with a free gift that most Fire And
0:11:51 > 0:11:53Rescue Services in the UK offer.
0:11:53 > 0:11:56SHE CHUCKLES
0:11:56 > 0:11:58Time for the doctor on your doorstep and, today,
0:11:58 > 0:12:02GP Rangan Chatterjee is tackling the subject of blood pressure -
0:12:02 > 0:12:06in particular, why it could be a life-saver to know your numbers.
0:12:07 > 0:12:09Modern life can put us all under pressure.
0:12:10 > 0:12:14And it's the impact that it has on our health that I see every day
0:12:14 > 0:12:15working as a GP.
0:12:17 > 0:12:21Luckily, there is one simple noninvasive procedure that can give
0:12:21 > 0:12:24us some idea about what's going on inside our bodies.
0:12:24 > 0:12:25When it comes to my job as a GP,
0:12:25 > 0:12:28one of the commonest and easiest procedures that I have to
0:12:28 > 0:12:32do on a daily basis is take people's blood pressure.
0:12:32 > 0:12:35Now, the gold standard for doctors used to be these things,
0:12:35 > 0:12:38which actually I got from my own dad, who was a doctor.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41But actually these are very much being phased out now
0:12:41 > 0:12:43and what we've got are these newer digital devices.
0:12:43 > 0:12:47But despite blood pressure measurements being cheap, quick,
0:12:47 > 0:12:49easy and available to so many of us,
0:12:49 > 0:12:52a surprising few of us actually know our numbers.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56The numbers I'm referring to are the readings you get when you have your
0:12:56 > 0:12:59blood pressure taken by whatever device.
0:12:59 > 0:13:02The top number refers to the amount of pressure in your arteries during
0:13:02 > 0:13:04contraction of your heart muscle.
0:13:04 > 0:13:06This is called systolic pressure.
0:13:06 > 0:13:09The bottom number refers to your blood pressure when your heart
0:13:09 > 0:13:13muscle is between beats. That's the diastolic number.
0:13:13 > 0:13:18Guidelines say that you're looking for a reading as close to 120/80
0:13:18 > 0:13:22as possible. But as I'm about to show you, that varies -
0:13:22 > 0:13:24a lot.
0:13:24 > 0:13:26- Have you had your blood pressure taken before?- Not recently.
0:13:26 > 0:13:29- Have you had your blood pressure checked recently?- Yes.
0:13:29 > 0:13:30About six months ago.
0:13:30 > 0:13:34It used to be 120/80 but it's going up a bit.
0:13:34 > 0:13:35It's a tad high today, actually.
0:13:35 > 0:13:37- We've just come on the train from Halifax.- Have you?
0:13:37 > 0:13:41- Was it busy? - Quite busy, yes.- It's 148/103.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44- Oh, it is high.- Are you feeling quite relaxed today?
0:13:44 > 0:13:46So it's 139/100.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49Which is higher than we would want. It is a tad high today.
0:13:49 > 0:13:51143/93.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54But there can be many factors why we have high readings.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56- Yeah.- Rushing around,
0:13:56 > 0:13:58being pulled over by someone to have your blood pressure taken.
0:14:00 > 0:14:03- Well, you are a bit stressed today, aren't you?- A little bit.
0:14:03 > 0:14:05We want to see it around 120/80,
0:14:05 > 0:14:08- really...- OK.- ..but I will say that you are rushing around.- Yeah.
0:14:08 > 0:14:10- I can see you're picking up lots of things for a wedding.- Yeah.
0:14:10 > 0:14:12That will absolutely impact it.
0:14:12 > 0:14:16- OK.- What we want to check is that this is a one-off isolated reading.
0:14:16 > 0:14:17- Yeah.- ..and not what's happening every time.
0:14:17 > 0:14:20- Yeah.- At some point when you're relaxed...- Yeah.- ..it's probably
0:14:20 > 0:14:22- worth checking again.- Go and have it check with the GP.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25What I like to hear as a doctor, that you're looking after yourself.
0:14:25 > 0:14:28- Good.- Well, that's some people who now know their numbers
0:14:28 > 0:14:32a little bit better. But what do they actually mean for our health
0:14:32 > 0:14:34and holding back the years?
0:14:34 > 0:14:38Joining me is blood-pressure expert Professor Anthony Hegarty from
0:14:38 > 0:14:41Manchester University's School of Medical Sciences.
0:14:41 > 0:14:44Why would you say it's important that the general public actually
0:14:44 > 0:14:46know their numbers?
0:14:46 > 0:14:51The problem with blood pressure is that if you have high levels of it,
0:14:51 > 0:14:54it increases your risk of developing diseases of the heart and blood
0:14:54 > 0:14:56vessels in later life.
0:14:56 > 0:15:02Your risk of developing a stroke goes down by half almost immediately
0:15:02 > 0:15:04- that your blood pressure comes down.- Wow!
0:15:04 > 0:15:07The benefit that we could have on the nation's stroke rate would be a
0:15:07 > 0:15:10reduction of 45% if we could detect
0:15:10 > 0:15:12and treat all the high blood pressure
0:15:12 > 0:15:14in the adults of the United Kingdom.
0:15:16 > 0:15:17When blood pressure rises,
0:15:17 > 0:15:21blood vessels become narrow and blood flow is reduced.
0:15:21 > 0:15:23Some activities, such as exercise, will raise our blood pressure
0:15:23 > 0:15:29temporarily, but it's when it stays up consistently that it's a problem.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32Now, I mentioned earlier that the ideal figure you're looking
0:15:32 > 0:15:34for is 120/80.
0:15:34 > 0:15:37However, it's another number that is actually considered what we call
0:15:37 > 0:15:40high blood pressure or hypertension.
0:15:40 > 0:15:43So, what do you consider to be high blood pressure?
0:15:43 > 0:15:49We have a basic blood pressure of 140/90,
0:15:49 > 0:15:53and if your blood pressure is above that, then the Nice guidelines will
0:15:53 > 0:15:57tell us that you have high blood pressure or hypertension.
0:15:57 > 0:16:02Which is why it's all the more important you know your numbers.
0:16:02 > 0:16:05Not everyone, of course, relishes a trip to their GP,
0:16:05 > 0:16:07which is why over the last few years
0:16:07 > 0:16:11these home-testing blood pressure kits have become more popular.
0:16:11 > 0:16:15But they vary in price and how you use them.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18I've been going round the shopping centre now for about an hour or so
0:16:18 > 0:16:20and I've seen there's a whole variety of different
0:16:20 > 0:16:22blood pressure monitors that people can now buy.
0:16:22 > 0:16:25I've got this one here which is a bit like the standard blood pressure
0:16:25 > 0:16:27cuff you might get in your GP surgery.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30This was 25 quid. Then you've got something a bit more nifty.
0:16:30 > 0:16:33It's a bit more expensive. It's around 40, 45 quid, this one.
0:16:33 > 0:16:35But it's a wrist monitor.
0:16:35 > 0:16:39You actually pop it on like this and you'll get a reading on your wrist.
0:16:39 > 0:16:42Now, the final one I picked up was this one here.
0:16:42 > 0:16:44This was around 45, 50 quid.
0:16:44 > 0:16:46Again, it's a bit more like the standard blood pressure monitor
0:16:46 > 0:16:48you'd see at your GP practice.
0:16:48 > 0:16:51Look, if you can get to your practice, that's fantastic,
0:16:51 > 0:16:53or your pharmacist,
0:16:53 > 0:16:55but you know what, many people aren't even doing that,
0:16:55 > 0:16:58so I think this is a really good thing cos it allows people to
0:16:58 > 0:17:00actually get their own readings.
0:17:00 > 0:17:02Now, I will add a note of caution.
0:17:02 > 0:17:05Some of my patients get a bit stressed out with home readings,
0:17:05 > 0:17:08they check them twice a day, if the reading's a little bit high,
0:17:08 > 0:17:11they check it again and that anxiety in itself raises their
0:17:11 > 0:17:12blood pressure.
0:17:12 > 0:17:16So that's just something for you to be a little bit careful of.
0:17:16 > 0:17:19The big question for home testing monitors of course is how they
0:17:19 > 0:17:23compare with the sort of readings I get as a GP on my own trusty blood
0:17:23 > 0:17:27pressure monitor. So that's what I'm going to test now,
0:17:27 > 0:17:29with Mary and Jeff Heathcote,
0:17:29 > 0:17:32for whom knowing their numbers is crucial.
0:17:32 > 0:17:35So, Mary, Jeff, you two are both very concerned
0:17:35 > 0:17:36about your blood pressure.
0:17:36 > 0:17:38Can you tell me why that is?
0:17:39 > 0:17:40Well, I've had a stroke.
0:17:40 > 0:17:44Did anyone identify that you had a raised blood pressure before you had
0:17:44 > 0:17:45- a stroke?- No.
0:17:45 > 0:17:48No? Had you been to the doctor before that and had they checked it?
0:17:48 > 0:17:52- No.- No.- Before the stroke,
0:17:52 > 0:17:53we were both very lucky,
0:17:53 > 0:17:55we were both quite fit,
0:17:55 > 0:17:58so we very rarely went to see our doctor.
0:17:58 > 0:18:00- Understandably, I mean, if you're feeling well...- Yeah.
0:18:00 > 0:18:04..I understand, why would you go and see your doctor?
0:18:04 > 0:18:08Since that time, Jeff has also been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes
0:18:08 > 0:18:12and now the couple believe it's important for them to regularly test
0:18:12 > 0:18:13their own blood pressure.
0:18:13 > 0:18:18What I thought we might do today, with these devices I was going to
0:18:18 > 0:18:20measure your blood pressure, see what it's like now...
0:18:20 > 0:18:23- Yeah.- ..and then compare it with the one that I take with me
0:18:23 > 0:18:25in my doctor's bag and that I'm using day in, day out
0:18:25 > 0:18:29and see, actually, if it's comparable or not.
0:18:29 > 0:18:31First, I take a reading with my own device...
0:18:33 > 0:18:39..before taking comparisons with the three shop-bought monitors.
0:18:39 > 0:18:40Bit worried with that one.
0:18:40 > 0:18:41Let's just put that one on.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48First, I take a reading with my own device.
0:18:48 > 0:18:52The reading I got with the machine that I use with my patients
0:18:52 > 0:18:55was 135/58.
0:18:55 > 0:18:58Next, it's the cheapest, the £25 monitor.
0:18:58 > 0:19:02But then the next one, it's shot up to 168/87.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05Then it's the wrist monitor, costing around £40.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08Came back down to 149/87.
0:19:09 > 0:19:11And lastly, the most expensive,
0:19:11 > 0:19:12the £50 one.
0:19:12 > 0:19:15Finally, 146/84.
0:19:16 > 0:19:20But it is such a high variation from the first one to the last three.
0:19:20 > 0:19:23It's worth saying that blood pressure readings can vary.
0:19:23 > 0:19:25- But that's quite a lot of variation. - Yeah.
0:19:25 > 0:19:28I trust the one that I'm using day in, day out.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31But again, that's a digital device, just like these.
0:19:31 > 0:19:34But I think the key thing is to use the same device and if it is
0:19:34 > 0:19:36registering as high,
0:19:36 > 0:19:38and let's say that device is causing a higher reading,
0:19:38 > 0:19:40we would absolutely want you to go and see your doctor.
0:19:40 > 0:19:42- Yeah.- So we can actually determine,
0:19:42 > 0:19:44do you have high blood pressure or not?
0:19:46 > 0:19:48If there is confusion around your blood pressure numbers,
0:19:48 > 0:19:53then it's likely that your GP will offer you what's known as a 24-hour
0:19:53 > 0:19:55ambulatory blood pressure measure.
0:19:55 > 0:19:59That's a device that you wear for a whole 24 hours that
0:19:59 > 0:20:01takes readings twice every hour.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04It's able to work out a more accurate average reading
0:20:04 > 0:20:07and where the fluctuations might be happening.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10If the numbers remain high, then further tests can be done to see
0:20:10 > 0:20:13what might be causing the hypertension.
0:20:13 > 0:20:17But, remember, if you do get an abnormal reading, don't panic -
0:20:17 > 0:20:20there are plenty of things that you can do.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23So what treatment options are available for people who have a high
0:20:23 > 0:20:25- blood pressure?- Well, we've got some lifestyle measures.
0:20:25 > 0:20:27They increase physical activity.
0:20:28 > 0:20:33For some patients, if they reduce the salt content of their diet,
0:20:33 > 0:20:35their blood pressure will fall.
0:20:35 > 0:20:39If they increase the potassium content of their diet,
0:20:39 > 0:20:43a diet rich in vegetables and low in saturated fat, that may also help.
0:20:43 > 0:20:47Interestingly, if we're going to increase our potassium and have more
0:20:47 > 0:20:50fruit and veg, like bananas for example,
0:20:50 > 0:20:53we're probably going to actually reduce how much processed food
0:20:53 > 0:20:55we have and that's where a lot of the salt and sodium lies
0:20:55 > 0:20:57- in the first place. - You're absolutely correct.
0:20:57 > 0:21:01If you take out processed food, take out your daily loaf of white bread,
0:21:01 > 0:21:04you've taken a lot of salt out of your diet.
0:21:04 > 0:21:07If you just take the salt off the table, you won't do anything.
0:21:07 > 0:21:11If you aren't controlled as a result of the lifestyle changes,
0:21:11 > 0:21:17we have a large number of nontoxic drugs which people can take,
0:21:17 > 0:21:19they're cheap, they take them once a day,
0:21:19 > 0:21:22and they're very effective to control blood pressure.
0:21:22 > 0:21:23And if the patient doesn't like them,
0:21:23 > 0:21:26there are plenty of alternatives, so it's drug therapy.
0:21:27 > 0:21:30But, of course, prevention is always better than cure,
0:21:30 > 0:21:33so get your blood pressure checked regularly.
0:21:33 > 0:21:37If you think it might be high, go and see your GP. And, finally,
0:21:37 > 0:21:41when it comes to blood pressure, know your numbers.
0:21:43 > 0:21:46Ooh, it's time now for a daily dose of nostalgic quizzing
0:21:46 > 0:21:48designed especially to exercise your brain.
0:21:48 > 0:21:52All you have to do is watch these clips and work out what was the year
0:21:52 > 0:21:53that was.
0:21:59 > 0:22:01Here's how the game works -
0:22:01 > 0:22:03we're going to show you a few key events that all happened in
0:22:03 > 0:22:06the space of a year. But which year?
0:22:06 > 0:22:08And here's why you should play along -
0:22:08 > 0:22:11psychologists have said that nostalgia can promote
0:22:11 > 0:22:13a sense of wellbeing and vitality in us all,
0:22:13 > 0:22:17so this could help you hold back the years.
0:22:17 > 0:22:19MUSIC: Hot Love by T.Rex
0:22:22 > 0:22:26What would be the result if there was a quick change to full decimal
0:22:26 > 0:22:28currency, say, overnight?
0:22:28 > 0:22:30- Absolute chaos, I should think. - Don't give me that
0:22:30 > 0:22:33- bloody new money cos I don't want it.- What's wrong with it?
0:22:33 > 0:22:34No, I want the old.
0:22:34 > 0:22:37- Why?- No, I don't want it.
0:22:37 > 0:22:39It's all the same.
0:22:50 > 0:22:52Hello, again. Welcome along to Whistle Test,
0:22:52 > 0:22:56joining myself and the audience here live as always.
0:22:56 > 0:23:00Now, we're going to look forward into the future, to the year 2000.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05In the year 2000,
0:23:05 > 0:23:07we do hope that Blue Peter will still be continuing.
0:23:07 > 0:23:10Val, John and I almost certainly won't be in it because we'll
0:23:10 > 0:23:13be far too old, so we thought we'd like to leave souvenirs of what we
0:23:13 > 0:23:16were like and of what the programme was like here in 19...
0:23:21 > 0:23:25Stay tuned to the end of the show to find out the answer.
0:23:25 > 0:23:29Now then, it's a condition that affects 30% of 30-year-olds,
0:23:29 > 0:23:3350% of 50-year-olds and 80% of 70-year-olds.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36But not Bill Turnbull.
0:23:36 > 0:23:39- Really?- Yes. I refer, of course, to male pattern baldness.
0:23:39 > 0:23:41- You're lucky.- Well, thank you and thank goodness
0:23:41 > 0:23:43because, as I've been finding out,
0:23:43 > 0:23:47the cost of trying to reverse going thin on top can be positively
0:23:47 > 0:23:48hair-raising.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51In the old days, if a man wanted a cure for his baldness,
0:23:51 > 0:23:54it was a case of toupee or not toupee.
0:23:54 > 0:23:57- Sorry about that. - Take the advice of an expert.
0:23:57 > 0:23:58He should know.
0:24:03 > 0:24:07Today, for the 50% of men affected with thinning hair by the time they
0:24:07 > 0:24:10reach the age of 50, there is a lot more choice out there.
0:24:12 > 0:24:15Some men are even willing to pay thousands of pounds at a time for
0:24:15 > 0:24:17expensive treatment.
0:24:18 > 0:24:20Men like Brian Beacom, who I'm meeting today.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30- You're all right. You've got a good head of hair.- Yeah.
0:24:30 > 0:24:34- Yeah.- Ten years ago, Brian was a lot thinner on top and looked like this.
0:24:34 > 0:24:38He'd had enough, which is why he took the decision to have a full
0:24:38 > 0:24:42hair transplant that left him looking the way he does today.
0:24:42 > 0:24:46So, Brian, coming to this salon costs £25 to get your hair cut,
0:24:46 > 0:24:49but your journey actually cost a lot more, didn't it?
0:24:49 > 0:24:52Probably cost around about £8,000, I would imagine,
0:24:52 > 0:24:54which sounds a little bit expensive,
0:24:54 > 0:24:58but the big delight for me is to be able to come to a salon like this
0:24:58 > 0:25:01and have my hair cut, because I thought my barbering days
0:25:01 > 0:25:02were long gone, Bill.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07Lots of men are bald, aren't they, and they sort of just embrace
0:25:07 > 0:25:09the bald look. You weren't tempted to do that.
0:25:09 > 0:25:12There are some people who can look great with bald heads,
0:25:12 > 0:25:14but when you're five-foot eight, Scottish and blue-eyed,
0:25:14 > 0:25:17you don't look great and you just look like a criminal.
0:25:18 > 0:25:20At the age of 52,
0:25:20 > 0:25:23Brian booked himself into a hair transplant clinic
0:25:23 > 0:25:26he found online and the transformation began.
0:25:26 > 0:25:28There's a scar that runs all the way across
0:25:28 > 0:25:30- but you wouldn't be able to see it. - No, not at all.- The most popular
0:25:30 > 0:25:33type of hair transplant is the strip
0:25:33 > 0:25:35technique where they take a strip of hair from the back of your head, and
0:25:35 > 0:25:39this is hair that's programmed still to live on, to continue,
0:25:39 > 0:25:43they take that strip of hair, dissect it up into follicular units,
0:25:43 > 0:25:46make a little insertions into the top of your scalp
0:25:46 > 0:25:48and put those hairs in, so it basically is planting it
0:25:48 > 0:25:49like planting seed.
0:25:49 > 0:25:53And how many seeds, so to speak, do they have to plant?
0:25:53 > 0:25:57Well, I think in my case, I think, it was 3,250.
0:25:57 > 0:25:59That'll take a long time to plant.
0:25:59 > 0:26:01It was about 12 hours in the chair.
0:26:01 > 0:26:03But I was quite lucky, the hair started coming through
0:26:03 > 0:26:06in about three months' time and, as I say, it was exciting.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09It was like Christmas every single day when you feel these new little
0:26:09 > 0:26:10hair chaffs coming through.
0:26:10 > 0:26:13Brian is just one example of what is fast becoming
0:26:13 > 0:26:15a nationwide trend.
0:26:15 > 0:26:18Latest figures suggest that, since the turn-of-the-century,
0:26:18 > 0:26:21the number of men who've had hair transplants may have risen
0:26:21 > 0:26:24by as much as 444%.
0:26:24 > 0:26:26So if you're thinking of going for it yourself,
0:26:26 > 0:26:29you'll no doubt want to know the answer to my next question.
0:26:29 > 0:26:31- Was it worth it, then?- Last year,
0:26:31 > 0:26:34I was walking down the road in Sauchiehall Street in Glasgow,
0:26:34 > 0:26:35I was on the way to an awards ceremony.
0:26:35 > 0:26:38I passed myself, looking in the window, and what I realised at that
0:26:38 > 0:26:41point in time, had I not had a hair transplant,
0:26:41 > 0:26:42I wouldn't have gone to that ceremony.
0:26:42 > 0:26:45I wouldn't have stood up there in front of 300 people because I was
0:26:45 > 0:26:47becoming self-conscious.
0:26:47 > 0:26:50What the hair has given me is a new degree of added confidence,
0:26:50 > 0:26:52the confidence that I had when I was 25.
0:26:52 > 0:26:54And that to me is absolutely immeasurable.
0:26:56 > 0:26:58So I wonder what you think of that.
0:26:58 > 0:27:02Do you think Brian was right to pay so much for something that made him
0:27:02 > 0:27:04feel so much better?
0:27:04 > 0:27:06Or is the price just too high?
0:27:06 > 0:27:08Well, if it is, don't worry,
0:27:08 > 0:27:11there's plenty of consumer choice out there and it needn't involve an
0:27:11 > 0:27:14expensive invasive medical procedure.
0:27:14 > 0:27:19Nonsurgical mid-price options include shampoos, sprays, serums,
0:27:19 > 0:27:20creams and lotions.
0:27:20 > 0:27:23You can even get, would you believe, hair in a can.
0:27:23 > 0:27:27Well, right at the bottom end of the price spectrum are these,
0:27:27 > 0:27:31£1 anti-baldness pills, launched last year by Asda,
0:27:31 > 0:27:35which it's claimed have also been taken by a certain President Donald
0:27:35 > 0:27:38Trump. Well, who wouldn't want hair like that?
0:27:38 > 0:27:41But before you head out to get a head of hair,
0:27:41 > 0:27:45it might be worth considering the bald truth about all the possible
0:27:45 > 0:27:47downsides of these treatments,
0:27:47 > 0:27:50so I've come to meet one of the country's most successful hair loss
0:27:50 > 0:27:54experts, Dr Bessam Farjo, to comb over a few facts.
0:27:54 > 0:27:56It's a multi-billion pound industry.
0:27:56 > 0:27:58Why do you think it's growing so fast?
0:27:58 > 0:28:03People nowadays are very much into lifestyle solutions,
0:28:03 > 0:28:06so it's not just hair transplants, anything that improves the way one
0:28:06 > 0:28:08feels about themselves.
0:28:08 > 0:28:10Now, as we've seen with Brian,
0:28:10 > 0:28:13the upside to getting a hair transplant is a renewed confidence,
0:28:13 > 0:28:16but there are side-effects that are less positive,
0:28:16 > 0:28:20which brings us back to that £1 anti-baldness pill.
0:28:20 > 0:28:22What does the doctor think of that?
0:28:22 > 0:28:27It's probably the best solution to hang onto your hair and maybe
0:28:27 > 0:28:29thicken it a little bit, but the way the pill works,
0:28:29 > 0:28:33it works by blocking the male hormone that is the main culprit
0:28:33 > 0:28:37in losing your hair, so we're talking about men getting...
0:28:37 > 0:28:42having the desire to have sex or getting erections,
0:28:42 > 0:28:45that's the responsibility of this particular hormone who happens to
0:28:45 > 0:28:48make you lose hair, so if you block that hormone systemically,
0:28:48 > 0:28:51then there's a 2 or maybe 3% possibility
0:28:51 > 0:28:53it may affect those other functions.
0:28:56 > 0:29:00So I suppose you pay your money and you take your chances.
0:29:00 > 0:29:02But as well as potential side-effects,
0:29:02 > 0:29:06it should be remembered that hair replacement therapies can be hit
0:29:06 > 0:29:10and miss. The scientific proof is, well, patchy, at best.
0:29:13 > 0:29:15Even at the top of the range,
0:29:15 > 0:29:17at highly reputable clinics like this one,
0:29:17 > 0:29:20there are no guaranteed cures,
0:29:20 > 0:29:22as the doctor himself admits.
0:29:22 > 0:29:26Doctor Farjo, we couldn't help noticing that you are yourself
0:29:26 > 0:29:28rather follicly challenged.
0:29:28 > 0:29:30Why haven't you had a hair transplant?
0:29:30 > 0:29:34So, a transplant is not a magical solution just like that.
0:29:34 > 0:29:39It depends on sufficient supply of donor hair at the back
0:29:39 > 0:29:41and suitable-sized area.
0:29:41 > 0:29:44So the bigger the bald area, the less hair you've got available
0:29:44 > 0:29:47and there comes a time when you run out of options
0:29:47 > 0:29:49with hair transplants,
0:29:49 > 0:29:50so patient selection,
0:29:50 > 0:29:54the right candidate and the one with the correct expectations,
0:29:54 > 0:29:56are the ones we can do as much as we can.
0:29:58 > 0:30:00It was interesting to meet Doctor Farjo,
0:30:00 > 0:30:04who was reassuringly honest about the realities of hair loss remedies.
0:30:04 > 0:30:06Hearing about the costs, the side-effects
0:30:06 > 0:30:09and the hit-and-miss nature of the treatment,
0:30:09 > 0:30:13it is perhaps not surprising to note that the NHS does not offer any
0:30:13 > 0:30:16therapies for male pattern baldness.
0:30:16 > 0:30:19Still, with the global anti-baldness market now worth an incredible
0:30:19 > 0:30:23£2.7 billion, obviously
0:30:23 > 0:30:26a lot of men feel it's a price that's worth paying out of their own
0:30:26 > 0:30:30pocket. So now I want to get into their heads a bit more,
0:30:30 > 0:30:33and that'll involve a bit of a makeover.
0:30:34 > 0:30:37So, Alex, you're a make-up artist here at the theatre school.
0:30:37 > 0:30:40You are going to make my hair disappear.
0:30:40 > 0:30:42Yes, we are. That's what we're going to be doing today.
0:30:42 > 0:30:45We're using a Baldiez bald cap
0:30:45 > 0:30:46and blending it out with acetone.
0:30:46 > 0:30:49- Do I need to worry? - No, you do not need to worry.
0:30:49 > 0:30:51- And you've done this before? - Yes, definitely.- All right.
0:30:51 > 0:30:53Safe hands. Good.
0:30:57 > 0:31:00I'm kind of comfortable and it's easy to nod off.
0:31:00 > 0:31:01You take as long as you like, ladies.
0:31:09 > 0:31:12Are you ready for this? Three, two, one.
0:31:13 > 0:31:16HE GASPS Oh, my lord!
0:31:16 > 0:31:17Oh, my goodness!
0:31:17 > 0:31:18That's an amazing job!
0:31:18 > 0:31:20I look like something out of Star Trek.
0:31:20 > 0:31:22I'm not as good-looking I was.
0:31:22 > 0:31:24- Eh?- You're rocking it, though, Bill.
0:31:24 > 0:31:26- Oh.- Looks good.
0:31:26 > 0:31:28Well, so far, this has been a bit of theatrical fun,
0:31:28 > 0:31:31but I'm hoping that looking like this and going out will help me
0:31:31 > 0:31:33experience what it's like for many men
0:31:33 > 0:31:38who go bald and will help to explain why lots of them feel it's worth
0:31:38 > 0:31:40a lot of money to get their hair back.
0:31:41 > 0:31:44And I'll be honest, walking around with the camera crew hidden,
0:31:44 > 0:31:46it did make me feel a bit different.
0:31:46 > 0:31:48Definitely more self-conscious.
0:31:48 > 0:31:52What I really wanted to know, though, was did anyone else care?
0:31:52 > 0:31:54See there, that's me when I had hair
0:31:54 > 0:31:55and this is me without the hair,
0:31:55 > 0:31:57- so which is the better look? - You look all right like that.
0:31:57 > 0:31:59- Do I?- Yeah.- Which do you think looks better?
0:31:59 > 0:32:03- With the hair on, I think. - With the hair on.
0:32:03 > 0:32:05- Hi.- I think it suits you, without the hair.
0:32:05 > 0:32:07I think the natural look is the better look
0:32:07 > 0:32:08but you can rock that look.
0:32:08 > 0:32:11Would you be attracted to a man who had no hair?
0:32:11 > 0:32:13- Yeah.- Do you prefer men with hair or without hair?
0:32:13 > 0:32:15If you're Bruce Willis, then that's different.
0:32:15 > 0:32:18THEY LAUGH How important is your hair to you?
0:32:18 > 0:32:20Ten out of ten. 100%.
0:32:20 > 0:32:22- So, you wouldn't want this look? - No, no, no, no, no, no.
0:32:22 > 0:32:24If you started losing your hair, would you think about doing
0:32:24 > 0:32:26- something about it? - Yeah, I'd be lost without my hair.
0:32:26 > 0:32:29No, not at all. I embraced it.
0:32:29 > 0:32:30I used to look like this.
0:32:30 > 0:32:32- So did I.- Oh!
0:32:32 > 0:32:33I did too!
0:32:33 > 0:32:37Would you be prepared to pay money to get your hair back?
0:32:37 > 0:32:38Oh, no. Bald is beautiful.
0:32:38 > 0:32:39That's brilliant.
0:32:43 > 0:32:46So the top tips when it comes to hair treatment, know the risks.
0:32:46 > 0:32:47Like any treatment,
0:32:47 > 0:32:50hair loss therapy may not always work for you
0:32:50 > 0:32:53and there could very well be side-effects.
0:32:53 > 0:32:56Budget - completing the treatment is key,
0:32:56 > 0:32:59so make sure you can afford it in the first place.
0:32:59 > 0:33:03And, finally, don't be embarrassed by being a baldie.
0:33:03 > 0:33:05It's a good look. Trust me,
0:33:05 > 0:33:06I've tried it.
0:33:07 > 0:33:08And I might just keep it.
0:33:10 > 0:33:14I've been investigating how over-60s are the most vulnerable
0:33:14 > 0:33:16when it comes to home fire risk.
0:33:16 > 0:33:19So far, we've looked at the causes and effects.
0:33:19 > 0:33:24Now it's time to focus on prevention and what we can all do to make
0:33:24 > 0:33:25ourselves safe.
0:33:25 > 0:33:28I'm spending the day in Northern Ireland with Gemma,
0:33:28 > 0:33:32who, last year, was lucky to escape a house fire with her life.
0:33:32 > 0:33:34But had she had a working smoke alarm,
0:33:34 > 0:33:38she may not have needed to rely upon luck alone.
0:33:38 > 0:33:42I had a smoke alarm and the battery was finished
0:33:42 > 0:33:44and I left it on the table.
0:33:44 > 0:33:47Always forgot for to get a new one
0:33:47 > 0:33:49and I never dreamt for a minute
0:33:49 > 0:33:52that something like this was going to happen.
0:33:52 > 0:33:56It's only when it happens, you realise that you must
0:33:56 > 0:33:58have a fire alarm.
0:33:58 > 0:33:59Especially elderly people.
0:34:00 > 0:34:04With a third of all fire-related fatalities being amongst
0:34:04 > 0:34:08the over-65s, it's so important to get a smoke alarm.
0:34:08 > 0:34:12Fire Service statistics for the UK show you're more than twice as
0:34:12 > 0:34:16likely to die in a house fire with no smoke alarm
0:34:16 > 0:34:18than in a house that does have
0:34:18 > 0:34:22a smoke alarm. But which alarm do you go for?
0:34:22 > 0:34:25A recent test by consumer experts Which?
0:34:25 > 0:34:29suggests there's a wide variation in terms of how well different
0:34:29 > 0:34:34alarms work - up to a shocking 9.3 minutes between some models.
0:34:34 > 0:34:37I'm meeting fire safety consultant Kevin Howlette
0:34:37 > 0:34:41to help me choose an alarm that gives you the best chance of
0:34:41 > 0:34:43escaping a fire with your life.
0:34:45 > 0:34:48- There are a variety of different types out there.- OK.
0:34:48 > 0:34:50But the most common ones are ionising, which is...
0:34:50 > 0:34:52This is your ionising detector,
0:34:52 > 0:34:55which is basically works on flaming fires.
0:34:55 > 0:34:58So when you have a fire that is very flame-orientated, paper,
0:34:58 > 0:35:01- you know, cardboard... - Frying pan.- ..frying pan,
0:35:01 > 0:35:03that's going to alarm very, very quickly.
0:35:03 > 0:35:05And we have the optical, which again, this is a really,
0:35:05 > 0:35:07really good one.
0:35:07 > 0:35:09The optical will work on smouldering fires,
0:35:09 > 0:35:12where there is, you know, a cigarette that has dropped into
0:35:12 > 0:35:16a settee or there is electrical items in bedrooms and areas like
0:35:16 > 0:35:17- that that are smouldering.- OK.
0:35:17 > 0:35:19And they're not flaming.
0:35:19 > 0:35:21So, we have ionising alarms,
0:35:21 > 0:35:26which are good for detecting flames, and optical alarms, which are good
0:35:26 > 0:35:27for detecting smoke.
0:35:27 > 0:35:31But what if that smoke is just me burning my toast?
0:35:31 > 0:35:33Which, by the way, happens more often
0:35:33 > 0:35:35than I'm usually willing to admit.
0:35:35 > 0:35:38A good thing with some of the modern-day smoke detectors,
0:35:38 > 0:35:44they will have anti-toast built into them, so when a toaster basically
0:35:44 > 0:35:47goes off, it understands cos of the circuitry involved
0:35:47 > 0:35:49and it won't go off.
0:35:49 > 0:35:52All very reassuring, but if you're in any doubt whether to get
0:35:52 > 0:35:56an ionising alarm or an optical alarm, don't worry,
0:35:56 > 0:35:59you can buy detectors that do both.
0:35:59 > 0:36:04You have a combined, where you have optical and ionising built into it
0:36:04 > 0:36:06and, you know, those probably are the best.
0:36:06 > 0:36:08All right, then. Then that begs the question,
0:36:08 > 0:36:12- where do you put these smoke alarms? - Yeah, so all the manufacturers
0:36:12 > 0:36:15generally give you a little map on the back where to put them.
0:36:15 > 0:36:19So, ionising, that would be in the likes of garages,
0:36:19 > 0:36:20where you would have fuels,
0:36:20 > 0:36:23areas where you would have a lot of paper and stuff.
0:36:23 > 0:36:24Kitchens is...
0:36:24 > 0:36:26Kitchens more going for optical,
0:36:26 > 0:36:29where having a lot of smoke come off chip pans and stuff like that
0:36:29 > 0:36:31will alarm very, very quickly.
0:36:31 > 0:36:34And you should have them in hallways, strategically placed.
0:36:34 > 0:36:37Particularly outside bedrooms where children...
0:36:37 > 0:36:40You know, children's bedrooms are becoming charging stations now.
0:36:40 > 0:36:41- Absolutely.- Cos we have our iPads, phones,
0:36:41 > 0:36:44we have a lot of electrical equipment in there,
0:36:44 > 0:36:48so we've got to make sure that they're in the places where there's
0:36:48 > 0:36:52- a high risk.- And there's one crucial thing you have to get right.
0:36:52 > 0:36:55You want to check them weekly because some of the older
0:36:55 > 0:36:58or some of the cheaper ranges will have a battery in them,
0:36:58 > 0:37:00so you need to make sure that battery's still working.
0:37:00 > 0:37:02And basically, just thumbs-up
0:37:02 > 0:37:05for Monday and just... ALARM BEEPS
0:37:05 > 0:37:08And with elderly people more at risk than others,
0:37:08 > 0:37:12there are fire and smoke detectors that don't just rely on sounding
0:37:12 > 0:37:16- an alarm.- We have detectors out there for the hard of hearing
0:37:16 > 0:37:19as well and we have smoke detectors that are pulsating,
0:37:19 > 0:37:20just like a mobile phone,
0:37:20 > 0:37:23and that will alert those who are visually impaired to get out of a
0:37:23 > 0:37:25building as well.
0:37:25 > 0:37:28All great advice, but there's even more good news,
0:37:28 > 0:37:33because most Fire And Rescue Services throughout the UK offer
0:37:33 > 0:37:35a free smoke alarm and they'll fit it, too.
0:37:37 > 0:37:39To tell me more about what's on offer in Northern Ireland,
0:37:39 > 0:37:41I'm meeting Geoff Somerville,
0:37:41 > 0:37:44group commander with the Fire and Rescue Service.
0:37:44 > 0:37:47We're at the Construction Industry Training centre in Crumlin.
0:37:49 > 0:37:51Anybody over 60 years old in Northern Ireland,
0:37:51 > 0:37:54contact the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service and we'll come
0:37:54 > 0:37:57out and fit a free smoke alarm in your house, but not only do that,
0:37:57 > 0:37:59we will do a complete home fire safety check
0:37:59 > 0:38:03and give you a lot of advice by walking around the house with you,
0:38:03 > 0:38:06looking for the obvious dangers in your house and telling you how you
0:38:06 > 0:38:09can stop a fire from happening, and there's very similar schemes
0:38:09 > 0:38:11operating right across the United Kingdom - and it's really a case
0:38:11 > 0:38:14of contacting your local Fire and Rescue Service and they'll come
0:38:14 > 0:38:17out and give that service to you.
0:38:17 > 0:38:20As Gemma is now so painfully aware
0:38:20 > 0:38:23following that fire that practically gutted her home,
0:38:23 > 0:38:27there's a responsibility for the householder to have a prepared plan
0:38:27 > 0:38:29should the unthinkable happen.
0:38:29 > 0:38:32The main thing to think about is what can potentially start a fire,
0:38:32 > 0:38:34putting a fireguard at night,
0:38:34 > 0:38:37making sure an ashtray and cigarettes are fully extinguished
0:38:37 > 0:38:40and unplug any electrical appliances that are not designed
0:38:40 > 0:38:41to be left on overnight
0:38:41 > 0:38:44and particularly closing all your doors at night is really important.
0:38:44 > 0:38:46Cos it contains the fire.
0:38:46 > 0:38:49It does and it'll stop smoke spreading into your escape route.
0:38:50 > 0:38:53You've done that pre-planning phase, you know where your keys are,
0:38:53 > 0:38:56you keep a phone by the side of your bed
0:38:56 > 0:38:58and you know what route you're going to take before you leave the
0:38:58 > 0:39:01property, and if you do those simple things and think about that in the
0:39:01 > 0:39:03night-time, have a night-time routine,
0:39:03 > 0:39:07the chance of a fire starting is much, much, much reduced.
0:39:07 > 0:39:10Right, so if everyone's taken your advice and followed it,
0:39:10 > 0:39:14but the fire does start, my smoke alarm's gone off,
0:39:14 > 0:39:17the room is full of smoke, what do I do next?
0:39:17 > 0:39:20Well, the really important thing is to stop any more smoke getting into
0:39:20 > 0:39:24that room, so closing the bedroom door, stay right down low,
0:39:24 > 0:39:26try and put something along the bottom of the door to stop any more
0:39:26 > 0:39:29smoke getting in. If you can get out and it's safe to do so,
0:39:29 > 0:39:31make your way out of the property.
0:39:31 > 0:39:33But you'll have rehearsed your plan in advance,
0:39:33 > 0:39:36so you'll know that route out, and then stay down low
0:39:36 > 0:39:40and feel along the side of the wall and make your way towards that door.
0:39:41 > 0:39:45Smoke is the cause of most deaths and injuries in fires
0:39:45 > 0:39:48and I have to admit the prospect of finding myself in a smoke-filled
0:39:48 > 0:39:51room is absolutely terrifying,
0:39:51 > 0:39:55which leaves me to wonder whether it's actually possible to recall
0:39:55 > 0:39:59the basic rules of escape when faced with a real situation.
0:39:59 > 0:40:02Geoff assures me it is - and is so confident,
0:40:02 > 0:40:06he's going to put me into a simulated smoke-filled room here
0:40:06 > 0:40:11at the training centre, from which I have to escape.
0:40:11 > 0:40:12- Stevie. Fire!- Fire!
0:40:12 > 0:40:14ALARM BEEPS
0:40:14 > 0:40:17Oh. I'm already not liking this. I...
0:40:17 > 0:40:20It's really... I can hardly see in here now.
0:40:20 > 0:40:21I'm really shaking.
0:40:21 > 0:40:24With the smoke getting thicker,
0:40:24 > 0:40:26it's time for me to remember Geoff's tips.
0:40:26 > 0:40:29Step one, crouch down.
0:40:29 > 0:40:33Step two, feel my way along the wall towards the exit.
0:40:33 > 0:40:37And step three, try and cover my nose and mouth.
0:40:37 > 0:40:41The smoke fills the room really quickly, and if you breathe it in,
0:40:41 > 0:40:44that is the killer. It's the smoke that can kill you.
0:40:44 > 0:40:48If there's one word I can think of to describe this experience,
0:40:48 > 0:40:51it would be, well, simply scary -
0:40:51 > 0:40:52very scary.
0:40:52 > 0:40:54Leaning against the wall,
0:40:54 > 0:41:00so at least I know where I'm going cos I can't see anything else.
0:41:00 > 0:41:03It's almost impossible not to breathe in the smoke.
0:41:04 > 0:41:09I think if I was in a real fire, I might well have gone by now.
0:41:09 > 0:41:12SHE GAGS AND COUGHS
0:41:14 > 0:41:16Trying to get out. I think I'm near the door.
0:41:17 > 0:41:19The handle...
0:41:19 > 0:41:21It's full of...
0:41:22 > 0:41:24Oh!
0:41:24 > 0:41:25Oh, gosh.
0:41:27 > 0:41:30Well, that was a lot harder than I thought.
0:41:30 > 0:41:33I really... I mean, Geoff's advice was brilliant. I think if I hadn't
0:41:33 > 0:41:36have dropped to the floor on my knees and felt my way around,
0:41:36 > 0:41:38I wouldn't have got out of there.
0:41:38 > 0:41:39On the other hand, it was really,
0:41:39 > 0:41:43really hard trying to keep the smoke from going up my nose and into
0:41:43 > 0:41:46my mouth. I know I would have breathed smoke in in there,
0:41:46 > 0:41:49so who knows whether I'd have come out or not.
0:41:49 > 0:41:51But if I hadn't have followed Geoff's advice,
0:41:51 > 0:41:52I'd still be in there now.
0:41:54 > 0:41:58Well, it's been a really interesting day and one that's opened up my
0:41:58 > 0:42:00eyes about the dangers of fire.
0:42:00 > 0:42:04But, before I go, Assistant Chief Fire Officer Alan Walmsley
0:42:04 > 0:42:08and myself have one last visit to make, to Gemma's,
0:42:08 > 0:42:10and we come bearing gifts.
0:42:12 > 0:42:15- Hey, we're back.- You're back! - We're back.
0:42:15 > 0:42:16- Come on.- Yeah.
0:42:20 > 0:42:22Doing a good job there, Alan.
0:42:22 > 0:42:24- Gemma?- Yes?
0:42:24 > 0:42:28Can you just come here a minute? Look. Look.
0:42:28 > 0:42:31- You see?- Aw.- Now we're keeping you safe while you're in your sister's
0:42:31 > 0:42:35- house...- Yes.- ..but when you go back home, what are you going to do?
0:42:35 > 0:42:38First thing is get the fire alarms out.
0:42:38 > 0:42:40Get your smoke alarm fixed
0:42:40 > 0:42:42- and working.- Yes.
0:42:42 > 0:42:44- Promise?- Definitely.
0:42:44 > 0:42:48- I promise.- Now the moment you've been waiting for,
0:42:48 > 0:42:52the answer to our what was the year that was archive quiz, Fiona?
0:42:52 > 0:42:54The year that was was...
0:42:54 > 0:43:001971, the year the Open University was formed.
0:43:00 > 0:43:04Well done and we'll be open for business at the same time tomorrow.
0:43:04 > 0:43:05Bye-bye.
0:43:08 > 0:43:13MUSIC: Hot Love by T.Rex