Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Fire fighters with the Dublin Fire Brigade provide fire and emergency medical services to the citizens of Dublin. The Dublin Fire Brigade has more than 800 paramedics offering a world class service to the citizens of Dublin. These skills allow trained Dublin Fire Brigade personnel to assist ambulance and medical personnel in the trauma care of patients particularly for those involved in accidents. Dublin Fire Brigade personnel each day provide care for people with a range of traumas such as spinal injuries, burns, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, broken bones, oxygen therapy, defibrillation and other medical emergencies. Fire brigade personnel arriving at an incident or medical emergency can immediately begin the process of lifesaving because they are trained to do so. Such early intervention by the fire brigade ambulance services is crucial for both medical and trauma patients and gives them a greater chance of survival. When the ambulance service takes over the responsibility for the patient at the scene the fire brigade personnel can then offer a support role to the ambulance service. When the fire service is first to arrive at the scene of an incident, and where there is an injured or seriously ill patient, it is sensible and logical that fire brigade personnel should have the necessary skills and equipment to provide effective treatment and support for the patient until the ambulance services arrive. Having such skills allows fire brigade personnel to provide an effective and rapid response to life threatening medical emergencies, especially in locations where the fire brigade will be able to get to a call more quickly.

Why is this service so important? If a person has an obstructed airway, he or she will die in less than five minutes. Simply protecting the airway of a seriously ill patient will save his or her life. A defibrillator is most effective if used within four minutes of a cardiac arrest; after eight minutes have elapsed there is only a very small chance of a successful outcome for the patient. In rural areas such a service is very important because of the greater travel times involved and the delays caused by traffic and weather conditions. The Dublin Fire Brigade personnel are trained emergency service professionals and are the ideal people to carry out the function of first responders. They are not there to undermine the ambulance services but to enhance these services. If the Government is not opposing this motion, it is time for this House to send out a clear message to Owen Keegan in Dublin City Council and the HSE saying hands off, we love our fire service, it is a great service, there is no reason it should be undermined and we need more funding for our service.

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