PRESS RELEASE 16.04.04

Co-Responders save more lives than firefighting

The RFU is disappointed to learn that the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) are still failing to come to terms with a Modernised Fire & Rescue Service fit for the 21st Century. The FBU continue to oppose the use of defibrillators by their members using unfounded and ill-informed excuses such as a lack of training, lack of insurance cover and becoming a cheap alternative to paramedics. The facts of the matter are that fire services that use firefighters to carry out the ‘Co-Responder’ service do so with the agreement of the local Ambulance Trust, are provided with additional training in addition to standard First Aid training and are covered by Fire Service Insurance.

Experience shows that firefighters who are undertaking Co-Responder duties have saved more lives in the short time the new service has been in operation that they have in years of firefighting. This begs the question of the real motives behind the FBU as to why they oppose their members taking part in the scheme.

There have been a number of initiatives involving co-responder schemes, started across the whole of the UK. Some of these have been at the highest level, others on a local basis. These initiatives have done sterling work and enabled the saving of many lives. There is now several years of operational data that is available for full analysis.

Co-responder schemes have been developed to support the Ambulance Services, particularly in rural areas where attendance times, inevitably are going to be longer. There has been a great deal of controversy about firefighters utilising defibrillators, training as paramedics and supplanting the Ambulance Service. Unfortunately these unfounded and misconceived criticisms have often hampered the widespread introduction of this vital equipment and service into some of our most vulnerable communities. Now that we have been given guidance in what our future role will ultimately become, these often-dogmatic objections will have to be withdrawn.

These new procedures have helped to improve the working relationship between paramedics and firefighters, as well as between both services on a more strategic level. This has lead to significant improvements in service delivery. There is also very strong evidence of improvements in retention and recruitment of retained staff. One of the most important benefits has been a huge improvement in public perception of the retained crew by the community it protects.

Most patients derive a great deal of benefit from an early attendance and oxygen therapy. Sometimes the simple arrival of qualified responders will put the patient and other family members at ease. Most fire appliances in the UK now carry oxygen equipment, with the majority of staff fully trained in first-aid, this makes the establishment of schemes within the fire service framework relatively straight forward.

The existing schemes have been cramped by the need to avoid controversy; they have demonstrated clearly that the retained service is capable of working with the Ambulance service at a very professional level. Mutual trust and confidence in each other’s abilities has led to significant improvements in incident cooperation thus proving coordinated working leads to an improved service delivery to the most important person at any incident - the patient.