A delivery of personal protective equipment which arrived in South Yorkshire yesterday, is now on its way to social care teams across the county. Hundreds of thousands of pieces of kit including aprons, gloves, and masks were delivered to South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue’s training center in Sheffield, UK yesterday afternoon (Monday, 6 April).
It was there that military planners and fire and rescue service staff broke down the supplies and delivered them to the local authorities in Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and Sheffield for distribution to front-line workers. The equipment had been sent to South Yorkshire from the government’s national distribution center.
Key role the fire and rescue service
Chief Fire Officer - Alex Johnson, said: “Workers are right on the frontline of caring for some of the most vulnerable and isolated people in our communities, so we were pleased to be able to play a small part in getting this equipment to the staff who need it."
He adds, “I’m proud of our staff for stepping up at short notice to make it happen and understanding the important role the fire and rescue service can play in supporting our partners and our communities.”
South Yorkshire’s response to the pandemic is being coordinated as a collective effort by multiple agencies, including emergency services, health bodies, and local authorities.