Hertfordshire pilot scheme tests new approach to emergency medical response

A life-saving pilot has been launched in Hertfordshire that will see firefighters provide back-up to some of the most serious medical emergencies alongside ambulance crews.

As part of the trial, Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service firefighters based at Berkhamsted Fire Station will now be able to respond to cardiac arrest emergencies in the area together with the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST), speeding up response times and getting help quicker to people in need.

All fire service crews involved in the pilot have received training from EEAST in basic life support including resuscitation and defibrillation.

“It is great to have the first fire station in Hertfordshire ready to respond to medical emergencies, as part of EEAST’s expanding blue light collaboration with other emergency services.

“Firefighters are not intended to replace the ambulance service, but instead offer extra support as best practice shows that the earliest arrival of multiple responders is beneficial in the critical early stages of a cardiac arrest.”

Tom Barker, Community Responder Manager at EEAST.

If successful, other fire stations in Hertfordshire could be included in the innovative approach to providing emergency medical support, alongside their existing duties. EEAST already works closely with fire stations in Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Norfolk to provide back-up for the most urgent calls they receive. Across the east of England there are now 13 fire stations offering their services, with more to come.

 “Firefighters are trained to provide immediate emergency care and already carry trauma kits and defibrillators on our fire engines. It makes sense for us to use these life-saving skills to support the ambulance service in situations where we can get to a patient quickly.”

Andy Hall, Head of Operational Response at Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service.

According to the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE), around 60,000 cases of suspected cardiac arrest happen while someone is not in hospital every year, and those who receive cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) have double or even quadruple the chance of survival. Survival rates rise to 50 to 70 per cent if the patient receives defibrillation within three to five minutes of collapse.

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