Covering the entire spectrum of the Emergency Services
April 2015
www.emergencyservicestimes.com
Volume 16 | 2
ESTCONTENTS | 1
IN EVERY ISSUE
18
COMMENT
3
NEWS
4
EVENTS
8
PEOPLE
45
PROFILE
46
COMPANY PROFILE
43
50 | 51
PRODUCTS
58
LAST WORDS
60
IN THIS ISSUE MEDICAL
13
Updates are on the way in 2016 for the ambulance service clinical guidelines, FERNO looks at what the future holds for ambulance design and patient transportation, lessons learnt from combat casualty care, the use of clingfilm in burn injury management and
40
British Red Cross eases the pressure on an overstretched NHS
ICT
32
PCCs give the green light to The Police ICT Company, all the latest on the Emergency Services Network contract, O2 discovers more about the voluntary sector during a Round Table discussion, Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service develops a Risk Management
7
app to record Site Specific Risk Information, Met Police looks to expand a tablet trial and London!s Air Ambulance and EE launch a new dispatch app
4
MENTAL HEALTH
48
Mental health charity Mind is urging emergency service organisations to register their interest in signing the Blue Light Time to Change pledge, which aims to support the mental health of staff and volunteers across police, fire, ambulance and search and rescue services in England. Plus, how public service providers around the country are working together to provide support before people reach crisis point
COLLABORATION
53
JESIP changes "Programme! to "Principles! and continues the drive towards increased collaboration between the emergency services, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service!s role within the region!s
43
wider public service reform and intraoperability in the East of England moves a step closer
www.emergencyservicestimes.com
April 2015
26 | ESTMEDICAL
Maritime In-Transit Care: prehospital and critical care transfers Words: Gareth Bott, Emergency Department, Derriford Hospital, Plymouth; Joe Barnard, Sickbay, HMS Nelson, Portsmouth & Kate Prior, Department of Anaesthetics, King’s College Hospital, London. Fight against Ebola
Photo: Ministry of Defence.
During the Afghanistan conflict, the British Military learnt valuable lessons in healthcare. One success was the development of a bespoke capability to provide a Medical Emergency Response Team who could begin advanced pre-hospital care in a Chinook helicopter en route from point of wounding to the hospital at Camp Bastion. This forward emergency capability allowed a greater level of care than had previously been available to troops on the ground and contributed to the number of unexpected survivors. With the draw down from Afghanistan, a need was identified to develop smaller and more flexible teams to provide a comparable level of care in multiple different environments using different modes of transport. The Maritime In-Transit Care (MITC) team has been developed to provide the Royal Navy and Royal Marines with a prehospital and critical care transfer capability that can be utilised during operations to close the gap from point of wounding to provision of damage control surgery and resuscitation and critical care support; this can be delivered by air, on land or at sea. In addition to retrieving casualties from point of wounding or illness, MITC can also provide critical care transfers from forward medical facilities to a higher level of care (Tactical Medevac).
“The MITC team provides 24/7 trauma care to a population at risk of over 1000 people, including both military personnel and non-military UK aid workers in Sierra Leone to help combat Ebola.” www.emergencyservicestimes.com
Currently deployed on Op GRITROCK, the UK response to the fight against Ebola, the MITC team are based on board the Primary Casualty Receiving Facility on RFA ARGUS, stationed just off the coast of Sierra Leone. At present, the team consists of a consultant anaesthetist, an emergency nurse and a Royal Navy Medical Assistant. The team members have all done multiple operational tours previously and have completed prehospital and military training prior to the deployment, including relevant courses and Helicopter Underwater Escape Training (also known as the dunker). The MITC team provides 24/7 trauma care to a population at risk of over 1000 people, including both military personnel and non-military UK aid workers in Sierra Leone to help combat Ebola. The nature of the operation dictates that vast distances need to be covered by the MITC team. At the furthest point from the ship, a MITC retrieval can take up to two hours, meaning that the team needs to be well equipped for all eventualities and aware that there are only minimal resources available on the ground. On Op GRITROCK, the main mode of transport has been a Merlin HM Mark 2 Helicopter from 820 Naval Air Squadron, RNAS Culdrose, who maintain an aircraft at 30 minutes’ readiness (Alert 30) during the day and at 60 minutes’ readiness (Alert 60) during silent hours. Their primary tasking is usually anti-submarine warfare, but the aircrew have embraced their new roles of providing a heavy lift capability and a Helicopter Emergency Medical Service. The Merlin can carry two critically ill or injured patients and there is enough space
Photo: Ministry of Defence.
to be able to provide advanced interventions, eg emergency anaesthesia in flight. 539 Assault Group Royal Marines from Plymouth provide support for the MITC in the form of fast boats and landing craft as an alternative way of transporting patients. All of these variables make the already taxing environment of prehospital emergency care even more challenging.
www.mod.uk
Photo: Ministry of Defence.
April 2015
ESTICT | 35
Meeting the operational needs of the wider emergency services network To better understand more about the challenges faced by voluntary emergency service partners and how technology might improve and enhance the life saving work these organisations deliver, O2 recently hosted a Round Table discussion, ‘Community Safety in a Digital World’, held at the company’s UK headquarters in central London. From the public’s perspective, the response to an emergency comes in the form of blue lights – the police, fire and rescue or ambulance service, sometimes all three, respond as required. In truth, as we know within the emergency services sector, the scope of response to an emergency reaches far wider – with numerous partner agencies, many of them voluntary, ensuring the response to an emergency is cohesive, coordinated and collaborative.
ESN contract O2’s technology and services are used by 27 police forces, 11 fire and rescue services and four ambulance trusts, as well as organisations such as Network Rail, Transport for London and a number of central and local Government bodies. The company is one of two finalists at negotiation stage for Lot 3 of the pan-Government, multi-agency contract for the new Emergency Services Network (ESN) contract, which will provide the next generation integrated critical voice and broadband data services for the emergency services.
Enhance operational effectiveness ‘Community Safety in a Digital World’ perfectly sums up O2’s approach to working with the UK’s emergency services. For the blue light sector, the company provides the infrastructure and communications network, described by Managing Director of Public Sector Business at O2 Billy D’Arcy as ‘the plumbing’. O2 is placing equal importance, however, on improving its understanding of how the technology used on its network might be utilised to enhance the operational effectiveness of emergency responders, in particular the voluntary agencies that support the emergency services.
“Being able to use our skills, technology and innovation means we can help to provide community safety in a digital world.” To achieve this aim, O2’s Round Table meeting saw representatives from organisations including the National Search and Rescue Dog Association (NSARDA), Community First Responders (CFR) and Lowland Rescue share their operational needs with IT, social media and PR experts from O2. Some challenges highlighted were common to all agencies: improved network coverage and real-time mobile data on the technical side, to managing rotas,
www.emergencyservicestimes.com
Artist Joel Cooper was on hand to record the conversations at O2’s Round Table discussion.
raising funds and increased brand awareness on the practical side. Other needs were more specific – location tracking of rescue dogs (NSARDA) and electronic patient records (CFRs), for example. With needs highlighted, the collective whirr of expert minds around the table was almost audible. The ideas that followed included practical solutions that could provide immediate assistance, to technical solutions to assist fundraising, such as the use of contactless payment systems for receiving donations. There was an obvious desire from all O2 staff present to deliver something beneficial from the day’s discussions.
Deeper engagement Chloe Jeffs, Head of Communications & Marketing for Emergency Services at O2, said, “The easy option for O2 would be to hand over a cheque to each of the organisations but we need to have a deeper level of engagement with them. “Now we need to turn these ideas into tangible assets for these individuals, whether that’s help with their social media, their marketing or technology. We’re going to take the insight that we’ve heard today and we’re going to turn it into something real.” Tangible assistance from O2 has already been provided to some voluntary emergency services partners, in the form of professional branding, on websites and advertising, as well as equipment donations such as an aerial drone and camera (and the training to use them) to the National Search and Rescue Dog Association (NSARDA).
Sharing expertise and innovation Former Deputy Chief Constable for Lancashire Police Chris Weigh, who now works as an Advisor to O2, chaired the Round Table discussion. He said, “Here at O2, we believe sharing our expertise and innovation is a great way to support the volunteer organisations who are on the front line every day supporting the wider emergency services. Opening up the possibilities of technology to these volunteers to use isn’t just important; it really could make the difference between life and death.” Billy Darcy, who hosted the session, said, “It was a privilege to meet people who volunteer their time and expertise to help others when they most need help. This country has an army of dedicated people who give up their time to be there for each of us in an emergency – you never know when you or your loved ones will need their help. Being able to use our skills, technology and innovation means we can help to provide community safety in a digital world. These special partnerships make me feel very proud to work for O2.” Contracts for the Emergency Services Network are expected to be announced in the early autumn. O2 now understands that the network of emergency services and their volunteer partners spreads far and wide and the Round Table discussions made it abundantly clear how passionately the company feels about the blue light sector. O2 is obviously looking for a long-term relationship, not just a quick fling.
news.o2.co.uk/O2ESN For more information go to news.o2.co.uk and visit the Emergency Services pages
April 2015
40 | ESTICT
Mobile app improves flow of risk critical information Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service is embracing the use of mobile technology with an app that can provide risk critical information to crews attending incidents. The app, named Risk Management, is the service’s PORIS (provision of operational risk information system), used by firefighters to record Site Specific Risk Information (SSRI) about non domestic buildings and outdoor risks such as water, wildfires and outdoor storage areas. The information recorded is then available to crews via mobile data terminals (MDTs) on appliances if they are then required to attend an incident at one of the properties entered onto the system. The type of information recorded includes storage of chemicals and explosives, building layouts and locations of hydrants/other water sources. Staffordshire’s Deputy Chief Executive/Executive Director Becci Bryant said, “Historically we had a number of SSRIs for high risk premises in the county. These SSRIs were printed onto laminated sheets and kept in a folder on whichever pump covered that particular patch. The big downfall of this was that crews from outside the station ground didn’t have access to that information, despite the fact that they could still be sent to an incident there.
“We’re confident that this could soon be the system of choice for those organisations looking to improve their provision of risk information.” “With the introduction of MDTs we were able to address this, however there was still the issue of producing the documents in the first place, which involved a lot of duplication and a delay from the visit, to the information becoming available. The crews would hand-write the information during their visit, administrative assistants would then input the data electronically it would then be the responsibility of the station manager to approve. From the initial visit to the information becoming available on the MDTs the process could take weeks or in some cases months due to other work demands.”
The app allows firefighters to conduct a visit to a building and, while there, fill in a number of questions, using pre-populated fields, onto a tablet device.
www.emergencyservicestimes.com
Embracing mobile technology In 2013 the service started to investigate how it could address this issue, keen to embrace the latest mobile technologies. Firefighter Dave Atkinson was seconded to the project to allow his 24 years of operational experience to be utilised. Kelvin Knapper, who has over 35 years’ experience, operationally and in fire safety, led the project. Becci Bryant continued, “We were aware that technology was key to this project however we were conscious that we needed the input of our crews in order to deliver a solution that fully met their needs. By seconding Dave to work on the project the idea was for him to be the link between the operational crews, our ICT team and the company we selected to progress this for us.” In September 2013 discussions commenced with Seed Software, a not-for-profit organisation linked to the Computer Science faculty at Hull University. Seed Software welcomed the opportunity and by December 2013 a proof of concept was given the go-ahead by the service. Seed Software Manager Chris Preece said, “The team working on the project spent a day with crews in order to gain first-hand experience of what the risk visits involved. We then adopted a modern approach to software development called Scrum, which is an agile methodology, which meant the service could review the development at each and every stage.” In April 2014, the service started testing the software and by October 2014 it was been rolled out to all wholetime crews. The app allows firefighters to conduct a visit to a building and, while there, fill in a number of questions, using pre-populated fields, onto a tablet device. This information automatically saves to the tablet, and is replicated onto a desktop version of the software. Once submitted for approval a draft version is also automatically uploaded onto the service’s fleet of MDTs.
“The biggest advantage is that as soon as the data is submitted it is available in a draft version on the MDTs. ”
Incident commanders can start preparing dynamic risk assessments before even arriving at the incident.
An invaluable tool The new app has been positively received by firefighters, demonstrated by the fact there are already over 2500 entries on the system. Watch Manager Jason Richards said, “We’ve welcomed the app as it is a massive improvement on the previous system. The biggest advantage is that as soon as the data is submitted it is available in a draft version on the MDTs. Previously you had to wait for the information to be input electronically and then approved. Now though, the information is immediately available and even in its draft format it is more beneficial than going to an incident with outdated information or even none at all. “The information displayed on the MDT is in a userfriendly, colour coded format providing a brief overview of each section so you just select the section you need to view without having to scroll through the whole form. It is proving to be an invaluable tool and has meant as an incident commander I can start preparing my dynamic risk assessment before even arriving at the incident.” Becci Bryant continued, “It’s been really exciting working with Seed Software and what is fantastic about this partnership is that we are giving university students real life work experience that will undoubtedly enhance their future employment prospects.
System of choice “The app was recognised during a recent peer review visit by East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service and we have already received interest from other fire services – we’re confident that this could soon be the system of choice for those organisations looking to improve their provision of risk information.” Chris Preece added, “We’re pleased to have produced a quality, working solution in a short time frame that has saved resource and minimised risk for Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service. We are already working with them on some new apps and we look forward to developing our positive working relationship further.”
www.staffordshirefire.gov.uk April 2015
ESTICT | 43
Met Police looks to extend tablet trial The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) is transforming frontline policing by equipping officers with mobile devices (tablets) and specially developed apps. In support of this, Vodafone UK has provided iPad minis, 4G connectivity and secure device management in the first instance. The trial aims to reduce paperwork and to give frontline officers access to vital information on the move – meaning they can spend more time on the beat reducing crime and supporting victims, ultimately keeping London safer. The current trial using the tablets provided by Vodafone began last summer and 500 frontline officers are now using the devices. The Met is now looking at an extension of the trial.
Through the Met’s own specially developed apps and a super-fast Vodafone 4G connection, officers are able to securely access and update systems and databases from wherever they are. This means officers no longer need to return to the station to complete paperwork, allowing them to be more visible on London’s streets. Crucially, for the public, it means frontline officers can collect electronic witness statements and digital signatures at a crime scene, meaning victims of crime no longer need to attend the station at a later time.
Security is paramount Security of data and devices is paramount. Vodafone worked closely with the Met to provide a level of security for the devices and connectivity that met the necessary,
stringent security measures and operational requirements. “There is a huge opportunity for technology to transform policing, and this trial with Vodafone UK is a fantastic example of the Met making the best use of technology to deliver services to the public in new and innovative ways,” said Superintendent Adrian Hutchinson, Head of Mobility Planning for the Metropolitan Police Service. “We want officers out on the beat, not stuck in the station filling out paperwork or sat at a computer. Working with Vodafone UK to deliver phase one of the project, we’ve already had a great response from officers who have used the devices, and we are confident that the project will help them to be more visible to the public and ultimately deliver a better service to Londoners.” The project is part of the MPS’s Total Technology strategy (2014 to 2017), which sets the direction for an unprecedented transformation in its use of technology. Through one element of this strategy, improving police mobility, the MPS aims to cut crime, increase efficiency and increase public confidence.
www.vodafone.com
Life-saving app launched by London’s Air Ambulance and EE Forefront of innovation
A new mobile app and EE’s 4G network are helping London’s Air Ambulance save lives by reducing the time it takes to dispatch the charity’s advanced trauma teams by up to two minutes. Developed by mobile app developer Mubaloo and EE, the app increases emergency dispatch efficiency by automatically providing London’s Air Ambulance trauma teams with incident information via EE 4G to help them reach patients quicker than ever before.
4G tablets The app, which runs on 4G tablets, has reduced the time it takes for London’s Air Ambulance to dispatch trauma teams, with rapid response cars now being dispatched in as little as 10 seconds with all crucial incident and navigation data in hand. Details of the incident are now transmitted directly over 4G to trauma teams via the app, including incident
EE LAA app first of its kind app is optimised to run on EE’s 4G network and could help save the lives of hundreds of critically injured patients each year.
www.emergencyservicestimes.com
EE LAA app cuts time it takes for London’s Air Ambulance advanced trauma teams to be dispatched via air or road by up to two minutes.
information, navigation details with real-time flight and route data, allowing doctors and paramedics to focus on getting to the patients as quickly and safely as possible. The creation of the customised app by Mubaloo is the latest development of a long running relationship between London’s Air Ambulance and EE. The two companies have been working together for 18 months, developing new ways of using 4G to boost efficiencies and helping to save the lives of Londoners and visitors to the capital. Dr Gareth Grier, London’s Air Ambulance, said, “Out of the 5000 emergency calls that are received by the London Ambulance Service every day, we typically see six patients whose injuries are so critical that they need additional specialist treatment on-scene before they get to hospital. Even reducing the time we take to get to our patients by 10 seconds could, in some instances, mean the difference between life and death.”
EE and Mubaloo have developed the app for London’s Air Ambulance by studying and understanding the dispatch process in detail, including reviewing how data from 999 calls is processed, the on board requirements of the helicopter response team and the navigation challenges faced by the London’s Air Ambulance road response teams.. The app is the first of its kind in the world and further cements the reputation of London’s Air Ambulance as a leader at the forefront of innovation in prehospital medicine.
www.londonsairambulance.co.uk
EE LAA app increases emergency dispatch efficiency by automatically providing London’s Air Ambulance trauma teams with incident information via EE 4G.
April 2015
54 | ESTCOLLABORATION
The often under-estimated role of fire and rescue services in wider public service reform Recently, a public comment by a high ranking police officer got me thinking about how poor we in the UK fire and rescue service have been in demonstrating the value that we create within society. The police officer commented that the cuts were turning his force into a ‘fire brigade’ police service! I think I know what he meant, but for a proud member of a national service that has totally transformed what it provides to the British public I was disappointed by the inference. We in Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) don’t have the traditional ‘Vision’ or ‘Mission’ statement expected by businesses, instead we have a clear purpose - it is to ‘protect and improve the quality of life of the people in Greater Manchester’. Every role in our organisation aligns to this purpose, a purpose that makes no mention of fire! Words: Peter O’Reilly, Designate Chief Fire Officer, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service. Despite a 29 percent (£25m) reduction in the revenue support grant we receive from central government we’ve been successfully working to this purpose for the last four years, and it has really focused and aligned all of our business. Our firefighters, Community Risk Intervention Teams (CRITs), Community Safety Advisors (CSAs) and volunteers will be in 60,000 homes across the city region in the next 12 months; primarily to reduce the risk of fire but increasingly to reduce other foreseeable risks such as falls and crime. They will also offer health and well-being advice around drugs, alcohol, obesity, mental health and even provide information on energy switching.
Community Risk Intervention Teams focus on improving the health and well-being of the community.
This is not a volume-based activity; it is driven by a sophisticated model that identifies where the most vulnerable in our community live. It is no coincidence that the people who live in these homes are also receiving services from other public sector partners such as social care, youth services, housing and the police. The relationships we have built with our partners in the public sector have seen us move to a position where we are investing to bring an integrated approach to helping local people.
In Moss Side the community fire station boxing club has over 400 regular members of all ages and physical/mental ability, while a dedicated team also delivers a practical alternative curriculum programme, which has been developed for those young people that are disengaged from mainstream education and at risk of exclusion from a local high school. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency uses two other stations as driving test centres, and the intention is to role this model out across more of our stations. Our communities have used the community rooms in fire stations, free of charge, over 2000 times since April 2014. Recently our volunteering and youth engagement programmes have expanded to the point where over 400 local people regularly volunteer to carry out community development activities on our behalf, which include: responding to help residents clean up after a fire (Post Incident Team (PIT)) and working with young people each week on our cadet units. Since it began in 2008 our volunteers have contributed almost 200,000 hours of service to the public. Over the past year we have enabled 1000 young people to obtain in excess of 1700 practical and academic qualifications.
Supporting communities So has any of this had an impact for our community? Well, we think so. The numbers of fires continue on a downward trend; fewer people are being rescued from fires and more people who suffer a fire have had a previous experience with our staff that has helped them survive potentially life-ending events. We’ve expanded our youth engagement programmes, created apprenticeship frameworks, and employed young people directly into the service from our youth
Working together For example, we have converted a fire station in Tameside to accommodate the entire neighbourhood team from the local authority. This team now shares the same space as our community safety team and police. In Salford we have transformed the fire station at Irlam into a fully integrated police, ambulance and fire community station. At present we are installing a climbing wall onto the traditional drill tower to increase the types of health and well-being activities the local community can access.
www.emergencyservicestimes.com
Since it began in 2008 our volunteers have contributed almost 200,000 hours of service to the public.
Peter O’Reilly, Designate Chief Fire Officer, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service.
engagement programmes on newly developed apprenticeships. We are one of the Government’s Trailblazers, creating a new apprenticeship standard for Business Safety Adviser Apprentices, and we are leading the introduction of Traineeships within the UK fire and rescue service.
Supporting business As the fire safety regulator in Greater Manchester we make up one of over 60 regulatory departments that enforce legislation on our businesses. Businesses, particularly small and medium sized enterprises, complain that they are over-burdened by regulatory inspections and often they receive conflicting or contradictory direction. It is not actually difficult to understand this if all of the regulatory departments operate on separate risk assessments, separate action plans and are located in separate facilities. In Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service we have pushed our Fire Safety Enforcement officers into the regulatory teams of the local authorities. Why? We believe that integrating all regulatory teams will have short, medium and long-term benefits for the business communities and the taxpayer.
April 2015
ESTCOLLABORATION | 55 The last of the three teams became active on 5 January this year, and we will be recruiting an additional 70 team members to form seven more teams across Greater Manchester.
Reducing costs
The adoption of Ultra High Pressure Cold Cutting equipment as standard on all frontline fire appliances will provide firefighters with an additional tool to control and extinguish fires safely.
In the short term the teams will begin to understand the working practices of their peers. In the medium term joint risk assessments, action plans and training will enable staff to deliver education and awareness to businesses on behalf of each other. In the longer term we may see the development of a truly integrated management, and delivery, of the regulatory services across the whole of Greater Manchester. In Tameside, where we first integrated with the local authority regulators, businesses are already seeing an improved support service from local regulators. And in Manchester, co-locating with Manchester City Council has saved local businesses, in the Northern Quarter, hundreds of thousands of pounds. To support this approach we have authored a national competency framework, which has allowed us to recruit Business Fire Safety Advisors, particularly from under represented communities, to engage with their local business communities to help them understand and comply with their statutory responsibilities under fire safety legislation.
“The relationships we have built with our partners in the public sector have seen us move to a position where we are investing to bring an integrated approach to helping local people.”
These teams also respond, on behalf of the police and ambulance services, to non-emergency calls, which impact on the ability of these services to respond to serious incidents, such as minor falls or calls that are non-crime related, which tie up police resources for long periods. The three teams have been fully available for just over six weeks (at the time of writing) and have responded to almost 700 incidents including cardiac arrests, falls and concerns for welfare. This has lessened the impact of these types of calls on ambulance and police services, freeing up their professionals to deal with other emergencies. The Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA) that accompanied our bid to the FTF illustrated a potential payback period of less than two years to cover the initial investment. To coin a phrase, the fruit from the work of these teams falls in the gardens of others, such as health, social care and police. The impact that the teams have had has already surpassed the expectations of the CBA.
Community Risk Intervention Teams respond, on behalf of the police and ambulance services, to non-emergency calls.
Multi-agency prevention hub The Fire Transformation Fund has also supported the establishment of a multi-agency prevention hub in Salford. Fire and local authority youth services will co-locate and be jointly managed with police and
Over 400 local people regularly volunteer to carry out community development activities on behalf of the service.
community organisations to engage local young people and their families, with the aim of providing a positive pathway for development. This will rely heavily on our experience of providing alternative curriculum, traineeship and apprenticeship opportunities. The philosophy that will drive forward the work of this team is that they will strive to provide ‘what matters to people and communities’ rather than concentrate on ‘what is the matter with them’. Already other local authority partners are keen to see this model developed elsewhere and we are exploring how this can be achieved. GMFRS have not lost sight of our traditional responsibilities, and are making great strides, through innovation, to improve the safety of our firefighters and the public. The adoption of Ultra High Pressure Cold Cutting (UHPCC) equipment as standard on all frontline fire appliances will provide firefighters with an additional tool to control and extinguish fires safely. Combining UHPCC with thermal imaging, positive pressure ventilation and providing firefighters with new, layered personal protective equipment is a strategic, tactical and operational commitment to protecting and improving the quality of life of our staff and communities.
www.manchesterfire.gov.uk
Reducing risk We are now taking the same approach to integrating with community risk reduction services. Our Community Safety Advisors are being placed within Integrated Neighbourhood Teams, where these have been established, and we are working with partners including GP surgeries to ensure that we are in the homes of those most at risk. But, how do we help drive public sector reform by using our experience to prevent more than fires? We have come up with a couple of ideas, which, thankfully, the Fire Transformation Fund (FTF) has supported. We have employed 30 people, drawn from fire, police and ambulance service volunteers, as well as from those military personnel that have recently left the service, to form three new Community Risk Intervention Teams. These teams focus on improving the health and well-being of those who they meet as well as concentrating on many areas of prevention including: crime, fire, falls and carbon monoxide poisoning.
www.emergencyservicestimes.com
A national competency framework has allowed GMFRS to recruit Business Fire Safety Advisors, particularly from under represented communities, to engage with their local business communities to help them understand and comply with their statutory responsibilities under fire safety legislation.
April 2015
60 | ESTLAST WORDS
Do first responders need to wear body armour? In today’s world, firefighters and paramedics no longer face only the risks inherent in their work, but also the threat of attack. Across England and the United States, shocking reports of crews being assaulted with bottles, fireworks, and even – in rare cases – guns continue to make the news: for most people, the idea of standing in the way of any emergency service worker as they try to do their job is unthinkable, yet a minority of thugs find it amusing. Furthermore, with terrorism continuing to pose a threat across the globe, emergency services need to ensure their workers are protected against larger dangers outside of their everyday expectations. Words: Chris Taylor, an expert in body armour and bullet proof vests for SafeGuard Clothing. Following the devastating Charlie Hebdo massacre that shocked Paris, and the rest of the world, on 7 January 2015, Europe remains on high alert for further atrocities. Police, paramedics, and – if needed – firefighters are first responders to emergency situations, and they may know few details before they arrive on the scene. While police officers might be armed and clad in body armour, paramedics and firefighters may simply be wearing their standard gear – leaving them exposed to extreme dangers they may not expect. To help all first responders stay as safe as possible in the face of unpredictable and dangerous risks, body armour should be available at all times, to all who need it. In January 2015, special units were formed within British fire and ambulance crews, with certain workers trained in the proper use of body armour, treating ballistic trauma, and more, in preparation for potential future terrorist attacks. This is to ensure crews remain safe as they tend to injuries and extinguish blazes in ‘warm zones’ (areas in which attacks have taken place and may see further activity), though they are not expected to enter ‘hot zones’, where danger is absolute. Beyond this, many first responders have been issued with body armour, in the event of an attack.
Identifying the key types of armour Three types of body armour are produced today: ballistic, edged blade and spike. Each is designed to protect the wearer against a specific threat, with multiple levels available within each type to accommodate the varying levels of expected danger. These levels are assigned to each vest following stringent testing by both the UK’s Home Office Scientific Development Branch and the USA’s National Institute of Justice (NIJ), based on the amount of protection they provide against specific weapons and ammunition.
Covert bullet proof vests carrier with velcro.
www.emergencyservicestimes.com
Ballistic armour (otherwise known as bulletproof vests) is made with Kevlar, and is designed to stop certain bullets by absorbing their energy on impact, before dispersing it throughout the materials, flattening the tip in the process. These are available in six levels: the first four levels are classed as soft armours, as they’re made with multiple layers of Kevlar, and feature no rigid plates whereas hard armours are designed for more extreme threats.
“Body armour should be available at all times, to all who need it.” This range covers most types of ammunition, from more common 9mm bullets to armour-piercing rifle rounds – the more protection a vest offers, the heavier and bulkier it is. However, in most situations involving suspected or actual terrorist activity, firefighters and paramedics may not know exactly how much danger they could face, and how advanced the suspects’ weapons are: are they carrying handguns or assault rifles? Sub-machine guns? Or grenades? Wearing the toughest armour available is typically the best approach.
Lightweight and comfortable Some first responders may expect wearing thick bulletproof vests as well as firefighters’ gear – oxygen masks and tanks, helmets etc – to add extra weight; while paramedics may expect treating patients to be made more difficult, but they would be surprised by how lightweight and comfortable even the thickest ballistic armour is today. Regardless, such considerations are outweighed by necessity: if extreme gunfire appears a viable risk, wearing a level III or IV vest (both of which carry ballistic plates, alongside multiple layers of Kevlar, to stop high-velocity rifle-fire) is vital. Edged blade armour is designed to protect you against knives and other sharp objects, featuring multiple layers of tightly-woven Kevlar to cause friction against the blade, preventing it from tearing through. These are available in three levels, based on the varying amounts of force attackers may use. Many stab vests also feature spike protection, to stop attacks made with pointed items, such as hypodermic needles or shivs; these vests have an extra-tight weave, to trap the tips before they can pass between the fibres, as they would in standard clothing.
Photo: iStockphoto.com
Stab and spike protection is typically worn by paramedics working in areas with high crime-rates or when expecting a hostile response. As most terrorist threats today involve gunfire or explosives, emergency crews are best wearing more resilient armour, though stab and spike protection could be added to ballistic vests for more comprehensive protection.
Is fit Important? In a word, yes. When you wear body armour, it absolutely has to be the right fit for your shape, otherwise you may leave yourself exposed to danger in ways you might not expect. For example, if you choose a vest which is too big for your size, you’ll find it pushes up into your throat or drops away from your chest at times – a terrible distraction when you need it least; likewise, a vest which is too small may prove highly uncomfortable, digging into your skin or leaving you feeling restricted.
Preventing loss of life To get the most out of your armour, you need to feel as if you can move exactly as you have to – whether to run, give chase, defend yourself against physical assault, or, in the case of police officers, forcibly restrain a suspect. To be sure you get the best size, measure your height and chest before you order, and check these against your supplier's size chart – never be afraid to seek expert advice before you buy. As emergency services are essential to preventing loss of life in violent situations, first responders should be given access to the very best body armour and protective accessories available, to ensure they remain as safe as possible while aiding those in desperate need.
www.safeguardarmour.co.uk April 2015