WAST Commence Operational Response From Swansea Central Fire Station

On Monday, 09/01/2017, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service welcomed the Welsh Ambulance Service Trust to its fire station at Swansea Central. This new venture will see an ambulance stationed at the Fire Station with Firefighters and Ambulance Crews working side by side. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Leigh Keen, the Welsh Ambulance Service’s Clinical Team Leader based at Swansea Central, said: “Placing ambulances in more locations across the city will further improve our ability to get to the patients who need us most, such as someone suffering from a cardiac arrest, in a timely manner. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

For many years the Trust has co-responded with Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service to provide the earliest possible intervention for people in life-threatening emergencies, and it has made a real difference to the community we serve. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

We have an excellent working relationship with the Fire Service and by locating ourselves at Swansea Central this will only grow stronger.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Station Manager Andrew Pughsley of Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service said, “We are delighted to welcome the Welsh Ambulance Service Trust to join our Station at Swansea Central. The Station has been responding to medical incidents since October 2016, providing lifesaving intervention and assisting Ambulance personnel. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Locating an ambulance at Swansea Central, Swansea West and Morriston Fire Stations further strengthens the partnership working that exists between the Welsh Ambulance Trust and Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Services and helps to ensure that ambulances are strategically placed to be able to meet the growing needs of the city. The fire fighters are looking forward to welcoming other members of the wider blue light family to the station. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

From previous trials, at Morriston and Swansea West Fire Stations, we have learnt a great amount from working with WAST and developed a greater understanding of skills and roles at all types of operational calls, this improved interoperability can only be a good step forward. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

I look forward to continuing our close working relationship with WAST, and other partner agencies to continually improve our standard of care and service to the people of Swansea.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Assistant Chief Fire Officer Rob Quin said, “We are delighted to be able to offer further support to the Welsh Ambulance Service by sharing our facilities at Swansea Central Fire Station. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Working with WAST in this way has become a significant aspect of the services we provide. As well as sharing our facilities, MAWWFRS also provide an initial response to many medical emergencies through their co-responder teams and defibrillator equipped fire appliances crewed by appropriately trained fire-fighters. During the 2016 calendar year alone, MAWWFRS medical response teams attended 3,245 emergency medical related incidents. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Our role, in supporting the Welsh Ambulance Service to shorten the time it takes to reach people in need of help can make the difference between life and death for many. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Primary responsibility for responding to medical emergencies lies with the Ambulance Service, these initiatives will not replace these services but rather enhance them in a practical way by making good use of medically trained and suitably equipped firefighters who are often closer to the scene of an incident than Ambulance crews”. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​