West Midlands Fire Service train to give COVID-19 vaccines
More than 240 volunteers from the service have received training by St John Ambulance to administer the jab.
A further 100 volunteers received training over the weekend (30th and 31st January) and will soon be working with teams at Millennium Point in Birmingham and the Artrix Arts Centre in Bromsgrove.
It comes after fire and rescue services nationwide redoubled their efforts to help protect their communities. The National Fire Chiefs Council said the sector stood ‘shoulder to shoulder’ with colleagues in the health and care sector in the fight against COVID-19.
Phil Loach, Chief Fire Officer of West Midlands Fire Service, said: “We are both proud and excited to be piloting fire and rescue services’ involvement in St John Ambulance’s delivery of the NHS vaccination programme.
“This is the latest example of how our staff have proved they are ready, willing and able to help our communities find a way out of this dreadful pandemic. Yet again, they will be making a real and meaningful difference."
Watch Commander Sacha Quinney is leading the voluntary programme. He said they've been supporting people in the region since March last year.
He said it included "activities like delivering medication, food parcels and testing kits to care homes."
"I'm not surprised by the support from our staff. West Midlands Fire Service have really stepped up and its testament to the staff."
You can listen to more from him in our interview below:
St John Ambulance will train WMFS personnel to become volunteer vaccinators, care volunteers and patient advocates. The NHS-approved training will be a blend of online and COVID-secure face-to-face sessions.
St John Ambulance Chief Operating Officer Richard Lee said: “We’re absolutely delighted and very grateful to have our fire service colleagues joining us on the frontline of the fight against COVID-19.
“We’re currently in the process of training up tens of thousands of vaccination volunteers and many have already started delivering the vaccine as well as supporting people both immediately before and after they receive it.
“This is the biggest challenge we’ve ever undertaken in peacetime and we’re rising to it with the support of so many partner organisations which are stepping up to the plate as we join in this collective effort to help get the nation back on its feet.”