Fire and rescue services provide ambulance drivers

THE three fire and rescue services of Wales are supporting the Welsh Ambulance Service Trust (WAST) during the coronavirus pandemic by providing a pool of drivers to drive ambulance vehicles.

Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, North Wales Fire and Rescue Service and South Wales Fire and Rescue Service have committed their support to WAST by undertaking a programme of training for a number of their operational staff who are now ready to respond.

Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service (MAWWFRS) have commenced their new additional role with a select number of its operational staff mobilised to drive WAST vehicles in Pembrokeshire.

Chief fire officer Chris Davies of Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, said: “Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service work in partnership with the Welsh Ambulance Service, along with all blue light emergency services to ensure the very best level of protection, prevention and response to the communities we serve.

“It is only natural for us, therefore, to support WAST and our NHS colleagues during these unprecedented and challenging times, by providing driver resilience through allowing our operational staff to drive, non-blue light vehicles on their behalf.

He added “I am very proud of my colleagues who have stepped forward to undertake this duty and I am grateful to WAST for providing the appropriate training that has allowed MAWWFRS staff to be mobilised on their behalf.”

Jason Killens, chief executive of the Welsh Ambulance Service, said: “The Covid-19 pandemic has been the biggest challenge for health and social care for a generation, and as an ambulance service, we’ve had to think differently about the provide services.

“We’ve put in a raft of measures to see us through the pandemic, including the redeployment of staff into business-critical parts of the service and enlisting the support of the military, and it was only natural that we also sought the support of fire service colleagues, with whom we already work closely together.

“The fact that we share a lot of station buildings means it makes sense on a practical level to join forces in the effort, and in particular in the face of a second spike.

“We’re grateful to our fire service colleagues for their support.” way we