COVID-19 NEWS Prior to that, FRS staff had been


confirmed to be undertaking COVID-19 antigen testing, driving non blue light ambulance transports and non COVID patients, and training others to drive ambulances for the same services. Other activities ‘are being requested by partner organisations, which are still under discussion’, and negotiations on these are set to ‘continue over the coming [weeks]’. Most recently, it was revealed


that more than 4,000 FRS staff have volunteered to assist the other key services during the pandemic, while a further 10,000 staff are ‘on standby to assist as and when required’. The NFCC stated that this shows ‘how staff from across all fire services are ready, willing and able to play their part during the pandemic’. Staff are providing ‘direct support’ to NHS colleagues ‘working tirelessly to keep the public safe’. In this latest development,


the three bodies agreed that firefighters can build protective face shields for frontline NHS staff and care staff, and can also begin transferring patients from and to Nightingale hospitals, alongside packaging and repackaging food supplies. The FBU has ‘secured assurances’ that the latter task and the shield assembly ‘will not be undertaken for profit-making organisations’, and the new tasks will continue ‘for the duration of the coronavirus emergency’. It also noted that appropriate personal protective equipment and risk assessments are mandatory for FRS staff who undertake these tasks, while any personnel ‘who do not wish to carry out the work will not be forced to do so’. FBU general secretary Matt


Wrack stated: ‘Our NHS and care staff are facing the fight of their lives, so firefighters are temporarily taking on sweeping new areas of work to help them through the crisis. That now includes transporting patients to and from Nightingale Hospitals


and assembling vital protective equipment that the government has so far failed to provide in proper numbers. ‘After a decade of damage


from austerity, public services can only get through this crisis by pulling together and our members are proud to step up to help. This pandemic is further proof that properly resourced public services are not only the foundations on which society is built but also the first line of defence when crises like this arrive. Across the country, firefighters are already driving ambulances, delivering PPE and supplies, and moving the bodies of those who have tragically died. We hope these new areas of work will go further to help our fellow emergency services through this unprecedented crisis.’ The NFCC also reported that English FRSs ‘are set to receive’ a share of an additional £1.6bn in government funding to ‘support their ongoing response’ to the pandemic. This ‘shows how the response’ of FRSs ‘is being recognised nationally by government’, with the share for fire equating to 3% after the first tranche of funding was released in March. In total, £28.5m has been allocated ‘directly’ to standalone fire authorities, while another £6m central fund is available ‘to support services which are providing assistance’ to the ambulance services and coroners on mortuary support.


It continued by noting that


the remainder of FRS funding ‘has been included in the allocation’ provided to county councils responsible for FRSs, while this latest allocation of funding is ‘four times more than services received in the first tranche’. The NFCC pointed out that this was a ‘result of the vital work’ it had undertaken, ‘ensuring the government is aware of the wide range of work’ that the FRSs ‘have undertaken to support the country in response to the pandemic’. Roy Wilsher, NFCC chair, stated: ‘I am delighted to see [FRSs]


receiving this additional funding to assist with their tireless response to COVID-19. This is testament to everyone’s hard work and services stepping up to keep communities safe during the current pandemic. NFCC has been working with government to ensure [FRSs] received a fair share of the funding, to reduce pressure on already stretched resources. This will go some way to help reduce that burden as we move into the next phase of the response. ‘However, I would have liked


to have seen the funding for fire services ring fenced for those which sit under county councils and unitary councils. It is imperative that these services receive a fair share of the allocation.’


NHS FRS advice


Guidance released by the NHS provides an FRA framework for completing specific assessments in temporary COVID-19 wards. The guidance (which can


be downloaded at https://bit. ly/2WMtdly) is for ‘completing [a] specific FRA for temporary wards provided for Covid-19 treatment or care’, and should be used ‘in conjunction with’ Fire safety measures for health sector buildings (Health Technical Memorandum 05- 03): Operational provisions Part K – Guidance on fire risk assessments in complex healthcare premises. Possible risk factors are


given for temporary wards, as are tables outlining information to be provided, a significant findings and action plan, and five guidance sections for an FRA. These cover identifying hazards; those at risk; evaluating, removing or reducing and protecting from risk; recording, planning, informing, instructing and training; and the review, including dates, any changes, previous actions completed and new actions identified, alongside a risk value matrix


www.frmjournal.com JUNE 2020 11


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