‘Ambulance Service told us not to attend Borfa Green cyclist incident’

Mid and West Wales Fire & Rescue Service has responded to criticism that it did not attend an emergency incident on Borfa Green last month when an elderly cyclist was found injured in the road during awful weather conditions.

Last week, Dyfed-Powys Police apologised and said an internal investigation had been held and lessons learned after they failed to respond to the 999 call, and, this morning, the fire service also explained why they were a no-show.

The service, which provides first-responder life-saving services if ambulances are not available, said on this occasion they were told not to respond because life was not in immediate danger.

A spokesperson told us: “Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service provides dedicated medical response support to the Welsh Ambulance Services University NHS Trust (WASUT), including attendance at Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrests, where our crews can deliver immediate, lifesaving intervention.

“For all medical-related incidents, WASUT is responsible for clinical triage and for deploying the most appropriate resource.

“Fire and Rescue Service attendance is requested only when an incident meets agreed clinical criteria, such as cardiac arrest, severe bleeding, and when our involvement can provide meaningful, immediate benefit.

“In this instance, WAST determined that Fire and Rescue Service attendance was not required, as there was no identified life-threatening condition and our crews do not carry pain relief or have the capability to transport casualties.

“We would like to acknowledge the off-duty Firefighters who voluntarily assisted at the scene. Their professionalism, community spirit and use of skills gained through their training are commendable.

“We remain committed to working closely with WASUT and all emergency service partners to ensure the most effective and appropriate response to incidents across Mid and West Wales.”

Both the police and fire were criticised by Welshpool county councillor Graham Breeze who has since received communication from senior management of both services.

He told us: “I have had a personal email conversation with Craig Flannery, the Chief Fire Officer, and he has given me his personal assurance that this matter will receive urgent attention with a review and action of how ‘running calls’ are handled so that off-duty personnel will feel more supported in the future should the need arise.

“The Chief informed me that the operational review of this incident has identified a need for the force to be more prescriptive in procedures and approach to ‘running calls’ and calls received from our off-duty officers.

“He said that ultimately, they are trained in understanding the requirements of incidents and our operational capabilities, and he felt more weight should be given to their professional judgement on the ground.

“It is important to remember that Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service is one of the few Fire and Rescue Services in the UK that actively undertakes medical response activities to support colleagues in the ambulance service.

“This is not a statutory function for Fire and Rescue Services but it has operated so well in the Welshpool area that perhaps we have come to accept it as the norm.

“I have thanked the Chief Fire Officer for his response and can only hope that such incidents do not occur again.”

An ambulance eventually attended the incident after two hours and the injured man was taken to hospital for treatment.

PICTURE: A Google Streetview grab of Borfa Green.