Thursday 6th March 2014 – 3.30pm – Claire Brown.
The Lord Mayor of Birmingham spent the morning behind the scene at an ambulance hub to discover the inner workings of the emergency service.
Councillor Mike Leddy visited Hollymoor Hub in Rubery earlier today (Thursday). The ambulance preparation and maintenance Hub has been operational since July and is part of the Trust’s ‘Make Ready’ operating model.
During his visit, Councillor Leddy saw ambulances being cleaned, checked and re-stocked by Ambulance Fleet Assistants ready for operational staff to start their shift. Prior to ‘Make Ready’, this task had to be done by ambulance crews at the start of each shift meaning they couldn’t respond to 999 calls.
A morning cup of tea with the local Birmingham managers was a chance for the The Lord Mayor to learn of the benefits of moving from traditional ambulance stations to ‘Make Ready’ hubs, how the ambulance service deals with major incidents and why interoperability between the emergency services is so vital and better than ever.
As luck would have it, a paramedic training session was taking place at the Hub which gave The Lord Mayor the opportunity to test his CPR skills on a life-sized mannequin under the watchful eye of an Education Training Officer.
Talking about the visit, Councillor Leddy, said: “This morning has been a real eye opener for me as I was unaware of the intricate work that goes into getting ambulances out on the road and in the right places to respond to 999 calls.
“Fortunately, I’ve never been in the back of an ambulance so I was amazed to see how much life-saving kit is on board. I’m very impressed with the Hub and the staff I’ve met, which are of a very high standard. I’m confident that the ambulance service is providing a good service to the residents of Birmingham.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors
Photograph 1 (left to right): Paramedic Gemma Morris, Education Training Officer Alex Johnson, Lord Mayor of Birmingham Councillor Mike Leddy and Paramedic Kathryn Corlett practicing their CPR skills.
Photograph 2 (left to right): Birmingham South Area Manager Dax Morris, Lord Mayor of Birmingham Councillor Mike Leddy and Birmingham South Assistant Area Manager Tim Hughes outside Hollymoor Hub.
Photograph 3 (left to right): Education Training Officer Alex Johnson, Paramedic Gemma Morris, Paramedic Kathryn Corlett (wearing the Mayoral chains) and Lord Mayor of Birmingham Councillor Mike Leddy.