London firefighter awarded academic fellowship for operational research project

London Fire Brigade’s Borough Commander for Hammersmith and Fulham, Lucy Macleod, has been awarded a prestigious Winston Churchill fellowship. The fellowship will enable Lucy the opportunity to study best practice and ways to improve how operational firefighters across the UK handle bariatric patients in emergencies or disasters.

The study, entitled: ‘No One Left Behind – National Operational Guidance on Bariatric Rescue in High Impact Events’, will cover planning, equipment, training and multi-agency response when rescuing a patient during an emergency or disaster.

Alongside her duties in the west London borough where she grew up, Lucy is the only female national tactical adviser in the country and is also a fellow of the Institute of Civil Protection and Emergency Management. Prior to receiving the Churchill Fellowship, she completed a Master’s degree (MSc) in disaster and crisis management with a thesis on bariatric rescue. She is also a fellow of both the Institute of Search and Technical Rescue (InSTR) and the Institute of Civil Protection and Emergency Management (ICPEM).

The aim of Lucy’s research will be to provide recommendations for National Operational Guidance, helping both firefighters and partner agencies, to be better equipped to carry out safe, dignified and effective rescues – whatever the circumstances.

Last November, she was named Most Influential Woman in Fire at the Excellence in Fire & Emergency Awards. In her spare time she has published a series of children’s books featuring her dog Blue, to inspire the next generation of firefighters to enter the profession. You can read more about that in a previous interview with Lucy here.

“I’m incredibly honoured to have been awarded a Churchill Fellowship. It provides a unique opportunity to learn from leading experts around the world, and bring that knowledge back home to improve how we protect some of the most vulnerable people in our communities right here in London.

“I applied because I have seen first-hand how our communities are changing – we as a fire service need to evolve with them. During major incidents, evacuating and rescuing bariatric patients present significant operational, clinical and ethical challenges, yet there is currently limited national guidance in this area.

“I want to understand how other countries, such as Germany, Japan, Sweden and the USA, are addressing this challenge so we can learn from their expertise. This fellowship gives me a unique opportunity to do that.”

Lucy Macleod, Borough Commander for Hammersmith and Fulham, LFB.

Lucy is one of 109 new Churchill Fellows announced by the charity, the Churchill Fellowship. The fellows represent different backgrounds, experiences, professions, and passions from around the UK. Each shares a commitment to inspiring change and building a better society through global learning.

Alongside Borough Commander Macleod, this year’s Fellows’ research will span a wide range of pressing issues – from tackling social media harm and creating climate-friendly school canteens to strengthening dementia care in rural communities. They will draw on experience and share knowledge with innovators in countries across the globe.

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