On-call firefighters at Ryde Fire Station have joined the partnership effort to respond to cardiac arrest calls on the Island, helping to save more lives, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service has announced. Working alongside The Isle of Wight NHS Trust Ambulance Service, Ryde on-call has now joined Ryde Green Watch and Shanklin on-call team, who already respond to cardiac arrests, unconsciousness and breathing difficulties calls. Cardiac arrest responders offer immediate emergency care and give lifesaving first aid until the ambulance crew arrives, giving patients in need of urgent medical help the best chance, when every minute matters. HIOWFRS Cardiac Arrest Responders launched on the Island in December 2022 and have since responded to more than 300 calls, with a track record of saving lives of all ages. Will Newnham, HIWFRS Watch Manager for Ryde Fire Station said:
“We’re delighted as a station to be able to offer this extra support alongside our ambulance colleagues within our community.
For the public to see a fire engine initially arrive for a medical emergency is not the norm, but if we are closer to respond than an ambulance, we can get to the incident first and start initial lifesaving first aid before the ambulance arrives to take over.” Victoria White, Director of Isle of Wight Ambulance Service said:
“The support Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service are providing, as well as our community volunteers makes a real difference to the survival rates for someone having a cardiac arrest. “We are thrilled to welcome the Ryde on call firefighters to work alongside our ambulance service and their colleagues from Ryde Green Watch and Shanklin on call to providing this valuable response. Thank you to Ryde on call from all of us at Isle of Wight Ambulance Service.”
Sean Harrison, HIWFRS Station Manager for Community Risk Management Planning said:
“We are thankful our cardiac arrest responders can continue to work alongside our ambulance colleagues, to provide a quick and timely response to those in need. “The additional support Ryde on-call team can offer, will mean we can respond 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and will result in more lives saved.
Since 2020 with all the excess deaths and
cases of Myocarditis, sounds like a good idea.
Great service I am sure, but how do we call them in an emergency? Is it via the 999 call.
It just goes to show the island population has far outgrown the capabilities of our Ambulance Service along with all NHS services. If people who are on call can leave their work respond to their station & drive a fire engine to an incident, which are not the most nimble of vehicles and all of which does take time, before an Ambulance can get there. Well doesn’t that say it al!!
Yet the new government want millions more homes built.
This Island & country is Doomed.
agreed, fund the Ambulance Service correctly first, will they be putting water & hosepipes in Police cars next?
I’m not so sure having part time crews responding from home is all that the Fire Brigade are spinning it to be,is the crew going to be available? recent cases on the island ( Ventnor & Freshwater incidents) have shown us that party time cover is not always great, evidence from the British Heart Foundation also tells us without proper AED treatment within 10 minutes of cardiac arrest the chance of survival will have reduced to less than 10%, is a part time fire crew going to arrive at station, make the scene & deploy an AED within that time frame? unlikely going on medical evidence, personally, I’d sooner see my taxes spent on a better funded Ambulance Service.