Latest news from across the emergency services

Every morning, Emergency Services Times combs a significant list of sources to bring you the sector’s freshest news stories. Compiled into a single article, this daily news digest is an easy, single point of reference for emergency services news, saving you the time and effort of searching yourself. Don’t forget to bookmark this page and check back daily to stay abreast of the latest goings on in the emergency services sector.

New Crisis Line for the UK’s fire and rescue service introduced

The Fire Fighters Charity has launched a 24/7 Crisis Line with the aim of reducing deaths by suicide in the fire service.

The new Crisis Line – 0300 373 0896 – is confidential and run by independent, specially trained clinicians with experience of working with emergency service personnel. It is available to any past or present members of fire service personnel having thoughts of suicide. More via Emergency Services Times

Greater Manchester Police ‘remains institutionally racist’

One of England’s biggest police forces remains “institutionally racist” and must do more to tackle the problem, a leading equality advisor has said.

A 2021 report found black people were more likely to be arrested, Tasered and searched by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) than white people.

Elizabeth Cameron, who worked with GMP on the report, said its systems were “perpetuating racial discrimination”.

GMP said it was working hard to ensure communities were “treated equally”. More via BBC News

Firefighters urge fire minister to attend meeting over Northants PFCC fire service “chaos”

Tomorrow, Wednesday 29th November, firefighters will travel from Northamptonshire to Westminster to raise serious concerns over fire service “chaos” caused by combining police force and fire service governance.

Firefighters have raised the alarm following the conduct of Northamptonshire’s police fire and crime commissioner (PFCC), Stephen Mold. The PFCC has now twice selected a chief fire officer with no operational firefighting experience to lead the service, despite public outcry. More via FBU

Unique specialist fire truck still not used in Cornwall after 18 months

A state-of-the-art truck ordered by Cornwall Council, dubbed as a “Swiss Army knife multi-tool” for Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service, has still never been used.

The new Mercedes Unimog is a “specialist rescue vehicle” which was acquired in spring 2022 to deal with everything from fires to flooding and icy-roads. However, it was never made ready ahead of what turned out to be the hottest summer on record in the county, which saw the fire service having to deal with more than 600 fires through June, July and August 2022.

The Unimog is said to have cost £600,000 of taxpayers’ money. More via Cornwall Live

New ambulances boost for NHS care this winter

New ambulances, elective hubs, virtual wards and care transfer hubs are among the innovative measures in place to ensure patients across Warrington, Cheshire and Merseyside receive the best possible NHS care this winter. 

The steps follow the publication earlier this year of the NHS Urgent and Emergency Care Recovery Plan, a blueprint drawn up to help recover urgent and emergency care services, reduce waiting times and improve patient experience. More via Warrington Worldwide

Leadhills Community Fire Station to close following public consultation

A South Lanarkshire fire station will close following the outcome of a public consultation held earlier this year.

Leadhills Community Fire Station, which relies on volunteer firefighters, serves the small rural villages of Leadhills and Wanlockhead in Dumfries and Galloway. 

Due to recruitment challenges in Leadhills, neighbouring crews based in Abington and Sanquhar have attended all incidents since 2015. More via Scottish Fire and Rescue Service

Fewer than one in three crimes in Scotland reported to police 

Fewer than one in three crimes in Scotland are now reported to the police, as public trust in the service plummets to an all-time low.

The latest national statistics show just 29% – the lowest level on record – were passed on to officers in 2021-22.

The results of the Crime and Justice survey raised questions of the public’s trust in the national force amid decreasing number of bobbies on the beat and plans to stop investigating certain crimes in parts of the country. More via Scottish Daily Express

Gloucestershire Police: Concerns over ‘really inexperienced’ staff

A police force which made improvements to be pulled out of special measures is struggling with a “really inexperienced” workforce, bosses said.

Gloucestershire Constabulary was discussing barriers to its recovery at a Police and Crime Panel on Friday.

Assistant Chief Constable Richard Ocone raised concerns that increasingly high workloads were placed on young officers who are also required to do a degree. More via BBC News

Victorian building could be demolished for new ambulance station

A new hazardous area ambulance response site could be built on a former NHS plot in Tuebrook.

Having initially gone up for sale in 2021 after the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) moved out to a new location in Speke, the former Elm House location on Belmont Grove could be repurposed to house a new station and training facility. NWAS has issued a planning application with Liverpool Council with a decision due next week. More via Liverpool Echo