Tri-service safety officers "essential part" of Cornwall's emergency services
They deal with police, ambulance and fire and rescue incidents every day
Last updated 22nd Jun 2023
Tri-service safety officers (TSSOs) have been described as an "essential part" of Cornwall's emergency services team.
They work across the county by responding to 999 calls to help save lives, treat people, solve incidents, and reduce demand on Cornwall’s three emergency services.
They also visit homes, businesses, community venues and care homes to solve problems by drawing on their health, fire and police insights.
Inspector Miles Topham from Devon and Cornwall Police said: "As well as being an essential part of Cornwall’s emergency response, monitoring and responding to 999 calls, our TSSOs also work to deliver projects which help to safeguard our community, undertake health and safety checks on homes and undertake prevention projects.
"This year TSSOs delivered 200 Raizer chairs to care homes to help enable people to be safer at home. Officers have also provided training in their use with the aim in reducing frontline demand on emergency services for slips, trips and falls.
"All TSSO’s now carry a Raizer chair in their vehicle because of the £35k funding gained in support of this project. In the long term this work aims to reduce the calls coming into our 999 service so we can respond to those most in need."
The TSSO role is a Cornwall-first programme which was established in 2014. Since then, other services in the UK have started similar programmes inspired by or modelled on the programme.
Following a successful pilot in Cornwall, the Tri-Service programme expanded twice. Since October 2021, 13 full-time TSSOs have been based in Bude, Callington, Fowey, Hayle, Helston, Liskeard, Lostwithiel, Looe/Polruan, St Dennis, Perranporth, St Ives, St Just and Torpoint.
TSSOs now deal with increasing numbers of community safety incidents. Figures released by partners from 1 April 2022 - March 2023 show that TSSOs in Cornwall responded to 3000 incidents with close to 50 incidents where they administered urgent, first aid using cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or defibrillators.
TSSOs attended 604 police logs, responded to 493 ambulance calls, conducted 486 home risk reduction visits, and spent nearly 4000 hours on safeguarding activity. Their presence enabled fire engines to be available to respond to emergencies 1207 hours more than if they weren’t in post.
Amanda, a member of the public from Halestown near St Ives said: "My elderly neighbour fell down the stairs and was at the bottom of the stairs overnight. I found her in the morning and dialled 999, and Dan a Tri-service officer arrived within 30 minutes with first aid equipment and the knowledge to keep her safe. He was amazing.
"He took her blood pressure and monitored her whilst we waited for the ambulance. He then also took note of areas where the home wasn’t safe to solve the issues and he called to follow up and see how she was after the fall."
Devon and Cornwall Police say they're looking to continue to grow the service in Cornwall, by increasing the number of TSSOs to 20.