Firefighters from South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue (SYFR) will be supporting Sheffield GP practices by delivering COVID-19 vaccines.
This comes just over a month after several fire service volunteers were trained up as vaccinators by St John Ambulance, and is part of a huge national effort from fire services across the country to help with the pandemic response.
vaccinations at practices
The agreement struck by Chief Fire Officer, Alex Johnson, and pioneers at NHS Sheffield Clinical Commissioning Group will see firefighters and fire service support staff giving vaccinations at practices across the city.
Fire and rescue staff have already delivered more than 250,000 vaccines nationally, but local bosses say they are keen to get this number even higher and help protect people across South Yorkshire from the virus.
Safe and strong service
Since the start of the pandemic, we have stood ready, willing, and able to help in any way"
“Our purpose is to make South Yorkshire safer and stronger, which is why since the start of the pandemic we have stood ready, willing, and able to help in any way we can,” said the Service’s Chief Fire Officer, Alex Johnson.
He adds, “So far we have delivered food and medicine to isolated people, distributed 1.3 million pieces of PPE to frontline health workers, and worked with military planners to identify vaccination sites, but we want to do more."
vaccinator training
Alex Johnson continues, “That’s why we have supported our staff to get vaccinator training, thanks to St John Ambulance, and why we have offered our help to the CCG in Sheffield. The vaccination program is a huge national effort and, whilst I’m proud that my staff has stood up and offered to contribute, I’m not at all surprised as a service we exist to help people in need and that is exactly what we are doing here.”
offering first vaccination
Alun Windle, Chief Nurse and Covid Vaccination Lead at NHS Sheffield CCG said, “We are pleased to have South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service on board helping deliver the vaccination program in Sheffield."
Alun Windle adds, “Vaccines offer us the best chance of returning to normal and relaxing lockdown restrictions for good, we must keep on vaccinating people. The support from SYFR will help us reach the target to offer all adults their first vaccination by 31 July.”
South Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum
The request for support from SYFR came from the CCG at a meeting of the South Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum on Thursday 27 May. The forum is made up of public agencies from right across South Yorkshire including fire, police, and health services and members have met every week since the start of the pandemic to co-ordinate the local response.
online vaccination booking
People aged 30 and over are being invited for vaccination, if those aged 30 and over have yet to have vaccination can book online or by contacting 119. If people are aged over 50, have a long-term condition, or are health and social care workers they can also contact their GP to book. The service’s core 999 response will not be affected by this work.
