Scottish Firefighters May Soon Respond to Medical Emergencies

Emergency services in Scotland are considering a significant expansion of the fire service's role, potentially including the dispatch of firefighters to respond to medical emergencies such as heart attacks and cardiac arrests. This radical shake-up aims to improve response times and save lives, particularly in rural areas where fire stations may be closer to incidents than ambulance services.

The plan would involve providing fire crews with additional training to equip them with skills like stemming bleeding, stabilizing casualties, administering oxygen, and using defibrillators. For the public, this could mean a fire engine arriving at the scene of a medical emergency when an ambulance was expected.

A Scottish Government spokesman confirmed the initiative, stating, "We are committed to expanding the role of firefighters by the end of this parliament. This will see the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service working in partnership with the Scottish Ambulance Service to provide an enhanced Emergency Medical Response."

Discussions are currently underway between government officials, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS), the Fire Brigades Union, and the Scottish Ambulance Service to define the specifics of this new role. Firefighters currently have basic first-aid training and sometimes provide medical assistance at scenes of rescues. Some also voluntarily carry naloxone to reverse drug overdoses. However, they are not the primary responders for medical emergencies.

Under the proposed system, firefighters would provide immediate care until an ambulance arrives. They would not be expected to administer intravenous medications or transport patients to the hospital in fire engines. A trial conducted in the UK in 2017 indicated that training firefighters to use defibrillators improved survival rates for out-of-hospital cardiac arrests.

This expansion could also alleviate pressure on the ambulance service, which faces challenges with hospital delays and extended waiting times, even though life-threatening emergency calls are generally reached within eight minutes. Chief Officer Stuart Stevens of the SFRS expressed optimism about the potential for growth through investment, training, and partnerships, stating, "We believe there is significant potential to build on their existing role through carefully planned investment, training and partnership working."

Fire Brigades Union Scotland regional chair Gus Sproul welcomed the proposal, acknowledging it as a significant shift requiring investment in training, equipment, and remuneration. "It’s a positive move for communities across Scotland, for our members, for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and for the Scottish Government," Sproul said.