Fire and ambulance services to collaborate amid staffing pressures

PLANS are being put in place to allow fire service personnel to assist the ambulance service as they battle high records of absences during the Covid wave.

The move, which will allow fire officers to drive ambulances with paramedics, has been welcomed by the MP for West Tyrone.

Órfhlaith Begley said, “The Ambulance Service has been under considerable strain for several years due to a lack of resources and this has deteriorated even further in recent months.

“I have been engaging with the Department of Health and the Ambulance Service to explore ways to increase capacity, one of which is training Fire Service staff to assist with ambulance callouts.

The MP added, “The implementation of this collaborative arrangement would enable Fire Service staff to drive ambulances with paramedics as well as responding to specific calls such as cardiac arrests where they would be able to continue lifesaving treatment until an ambulance arrived.

Ms Begley also called for more investment to be put into the ambulance service going forward.