Firefighters ready to drive ambulances if coronavirus situation worsens

A top fire chief said discussions are still in early stages with health bosses, with extra staff being made available for vehicle maintenance also a possibility.

However, no decisions have yet been made over how such an arrangement between the two services would work – or even if it is necessary during the current crisis.

“We’re looking at the additional roles we can do,” said Stuart Errington, Chief Fire Officer (CFO) at the County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service (CDDFRS).

“We’re working closely with the North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) about providing them with blue light drivers and providing people to decontaminate ambulances.

“That is not there now, but we’re preparing for what things may be like a few weeks from now.”

Although COVID deaths and infections continue to rise across the country, putting greater strain on health services, many fire brigades have seen a decrease in the number of incidents they are attending.

According to CFO Errington, while the virus has forced CDDFRS to ‘operate in a completely different way to normal’, its response to fires and other emergencies remains the same.

And while absence rates are running slightly higher than usual, at about six per cent, this has been offset in other ways, with more ‘on-call’ part time firefighters working from home due to social distancing regulations and therefore available for more shifts.

“As it stands, we haven’t had to reduce any fire appliances,” he said.

“A lot of on-call staff are working from home and not at their primary employer, so our on-call availability is really good.”

He added: “We put out a call to retired members of staff, as it stands we haven’t had to use them and our normal business continuity plans have been more than adequate.

“But it’s still fantastic people will volunteer for this type of work – all our staff have been phenomenal during this time.”

About 30 firefighters and control room workers who have retired in the past two years answered an appeal for former staff to make themselves available to return.

NEAS has been contacted for comment.

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