UK Military personnel who are Civilian Emergency Responders in their off-duty time have been mobilised to augment SCAS under Operation RESCRIPT.
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Images shot by service photographers on Friday 27th March and today, 31st March, of some of the 80 military personnel co-responders who are augmenting SCAS (South Central Ambulance Service) have now been released by UK MoD. As of 18:30 today, no Press Release or Operational Briefing Note has yet been issued by the Directorate of Defence Communications but the extended captions provided by the NCOs (see below the images) are informative.
Members of the British Military who are working as co-responders for the South Central Ambulance Service being shown the equipment from inside the ambulance they are required to drive, whilst remaining a minimum of two meters [sic] apart.
80 Military personnel are to be mobilised to augment the South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) as of Friday 27th March. The personnel, some of which will already have emergency response driving experience, will be drawn from all three of the armed services.
Some will be tasked with manning the emergency response cars and others will be assigned to operating in the emergency response centres taking call from those in need. Another group will conduct specialist training to drive the larger ambulances.
Crucially, all of those being mobilised have a background and training in hands-on medical response. As armed forces personnel they will already have been trained to a level in first aid and trauma treatment, but this group are civilian emergency responders in their off-duty time.
The additional 80 service personnel will help as the demands increase and the pressure builds on the South & Central Ambulance Service Trust in the face of the COVID-19 outbreak.
On Friday at 08:00hrs the 80 service personnel received their orders directing them in their change of occupation and, with strict adherence to social distancing, be required to attend a briefing.
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On Tuesday 31 March 2020, members of the Armed Forces conducted blue light ambulance driver training with the South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS), who they will be working for in the coming weeks.
In order to bolster the frontline response to the outbreak of COVID-19, commanders of military units in the region have released 80 of their personnel from their military duties to support the SCAS. All of those directed to join the SCAS efforts are civilian emergency responders in their off-duty time.
Some will be tasked with manning the emergency response cars and others will be assigned to operating in the emergency response centres taking call from those in need. Another group will conduct specialist training to drive the larger ambulances.
Crucially, all of those being mobilised have a background and training in hands-on medical response. As armed forces personnel they will already have been trained to a level in first aid and trauma treatment.
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