Issue - meetings

The Chairman of the Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority and the Shadow Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire Authority made the following statement:

“Members may have seen recent press comment being very critical of fire services across the UK for a lack of volunteer support particularly for the vaccination programme.  I wanted therefore to reassure you that this does not apply to the Hampshire or the Isle of Wight Fire Services. 

As reported at a previous Council Meeting, Basingstoke Fire Station was selected to be a Vaccination Centre and is currently delivering circa 1,000 vaccinations per day whilst continuing as a fully operational fire station.   More widely across both fire services there are 10 volunteer vaccinators and a significant number of staff undergoing training to take on this role.  More locally, the Redbridge Fire Station has become the hub for surge testing which was required due to an outbreak of the South African variant of the virus detected in Southampton.

Additionally, a number of detached firefighters are providing driving support for South Central Ambulance Service with several detached fire firefighters providing the same service on the Isle of Wight.  27 firefighters are also providing in-house hospital support for Intensive Care Units.  Volunteers are also providing support to the Grayson facility and to Hampshire Constabulary for the fitting of masks within the Custody Suite.  Neil Odin, Chief Fire Officer has also been providing support to the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Local Resilience Forum.

I would therefore like to place on record pride and appreciation for the scale of volunteering by all firefighters, including retained firefighters, control and support staff including administration support provided by the County Council carried out over the last year, much of which is still continuing.”

Members extended their thanks to Councillor Carter for his service as a long-standing local Councillor in Gosport and during his time as a Member and Chairman of the Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority, and in the last year as Chairman of the Shadow Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Authority.