Emergency service bosses have hailed a new partnership which sees trainee paramedics train alongside firefighters.

South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue regularly welcomes Sheffield Hallam University paramedic students to training drills in a bid to expose students to realistic scenarios and build understanding between 999 responders.

Larger scale training exercises have also been set up at fire stations across South Yorkshire to help rehearse responses to incidents where firefighters and paramedics are likely to be present- including road traffic collisions, rescues from height and water incidents.

Station Manager Justin Robertson, said: “Since establishing this partnership two years ago we’ve held dozens of exercises and the learning for both firefighters and paramedics has been incredible. There’s already a great deal of respect between all the emergency services, but anything we can do to help build a better understanding of our respective roles at incidents will ultimately lead to better outcomes for the public we are here to help.”

Paramedic Senior Lecturer James Stubley, said: “The partnership with South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue has allowed our students to be exposed to a greater level of reality, extending our simulation scenarios. Collaboration with emergency service colleagues has allowed our students to gain valuable experience prior to graduating and pursuing their paramedic careers, being better informed of scene safety and capabilities of other services at these more complex incidents. This joint working at the early stage of their careers can only lead to more successful joint working and ultimately improved prehospital patient care.”

The Policing & Crime Act 2016 placed a new, statutory duty on all three emergency services to look at opportunities to work with one another better to improve efficiency and effectiveness.

In South Yorkshire, the fire and police services share a Joint Community Safety Department, shared fleet management and vehicle workshops and have a joint fire and police station in Maltby. The ambulance service also has access to welfare facilities at several fire stations across the country.

All three emergency services also work together on dozens of other opportunities for joint working throughout the year- from training to staff network events.

ENDS

Fire and health staff in South Yorkshire now share the same building following a major new collaboration agreement.

Staff from NHS South Yorkshire moved into South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue’s headquarters on Eyre Street, Sheffield earlier this month.

Both organisations say the move is further evidence of public services working together to save money and deliver better outcomes for local people.

Chief Fire Officer Chris Kirby, said: “We’re really pleased to welcome our health partners into our service headquarters and look forward to the opportunities this may generate in the future.

“The use of our HQ had changed post-pandemic and as we looked to realign our office space to meet the changing needs of our corporate teams, it made sense to look for an appropriate partner to share our building with.”

South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue has occupied its current headquarters on Eyre Street since 2008, having previously been based at sites on Wellington Street and Division Street in the city. Part of the HQ building is already let to Age UK Sheffield.

Gavin Boyle, Chief Executive of NHS South Yorkshire, said: “It’s really exciting to be partnering with South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue and bringing public services together. We work closely with South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue through the local resilience forum and we share many of the same aims in improving the lives and wellbeing for our communities.

“The move will also allow us to better connect with Age UK Sheffield and other partners in Sheffield, such as Sheffield City Council, and we’ll soon be making similar moves in Barnsley and Rotherham that will bring similar benefits.”