SIXTENEN firefighters from Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service have joined South Western Ambulance Service to help during the Covid-19 pandemic.

They include Paul Curran from Sherborne Fire Station, who has recently completed training and is now driving frontline ambulances across Dorset and Wiltshire.

As reported last month, the move is to help relieve pressure on paramedics during the coronavirus outbreak.

The fire service is also considering how it can work with local authorities to provide assistance at temporary mortuary sites for victims of Covid-19.

South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust has invested in additional ambulances for the region, two of which will be coming to Dorset and two to Wiltshire.

The ambulances will be driven by firefighters who are trained to drive emergency response vehicles and carry out first aid.

With these skills, firefighters will be able to support the ambulance service at a time when they are under increased pressure.

They will be transferring patients to and from hospital alongside a clinician and they will also act as first responders for some life-threatening calls with a paramedic.

Other duties being carried out by the fire and rescue service to support the community include:

• Helping to package and deliver food and medication to vulnerable members of the community

• Helping to construct, fit and train NHS staff in the use of respiratory Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

• Face-fit testing of PPE for ambulance staff

At the time of the announcement, Derek McCullough, South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust interoperable capabilities officer, said: “We are delighted about this partnership with fire service colleagues across the South West to support our frontline care of patients. We have invested in 15 additional ambulance vehicles, which have now been allocated to this important partnership initiative.

“The partnership will enable us to make more efficient use of our resources and help us deal with the expected increase in demand over the upcoming weeks. This will mean we are better equipped to reach those patients most in need of our care, and ultimately to save more lives.”