• Contact us
  • About us
  • Digital edition
  • Online archive
Friday, July 4, 2025
Cumberland and Westmorland Herald
  • News
    Man fined £100 for using cashpoint in car park

    Man fined £100 for using cashpoint in car park

    Honour for man who devoted his life to Greystoke

    Honour for man who devoted his life to Greystoke

    Sheep breeder’s successful debut at Royal Highland Show

    Sheep breeder’s successful debut at Royal Highland Show

    Global engineering firm Babcock supports Eden charity

    Global engineering firm Babcock supports Eden charity

    Penrith Lions mark 50 years of serving community

    Penrith Lions mark 50 years of serving community

    £8,000 for two new nature reserve projects

    £8,000 for two new nature reserve projects

    Fun day in Penrith to celebrate community spirit

    Fun day in Penrith to celebrate community spirit

    Arrests after shoplifting incidents in Penrith

    Arrests after shoplifting incidents in Penrith

    Anti-social residents move out after threatened with police order

    Anti-social residents move out after threatened with police order

  • Sport
    Penrith skipper Nicky Burns calls on team to keep winning

    Penrith skipper Nicky Burns calls on team to keep winning

    £100,000 target for new changing rooms extension

    £100,000 target for new changing rooms extension

    Medal success for Upper Eden tug-of-war team

    Medal success for Upper Eden tug-of-war team

    Eden man competes in Hyrox World Games

    Eden man competes in Hyrox World Games

    Double national triumph for Stuart Robinson

    Double national triumph for Stuart Robinson

    Patterdale’s Eden Eagles make history

    Patterdale’s Eden Eagles make history

    Penrith teen crowned British vault champion

    Penrith teen crowned British vault champion

    Penrith gymnasts represent North of England in finals

    Penrith gymnasts represent North of England in finals

    New boss revealed for Penrith AFC

    New boss revealed for Penrith AFC

  • Obituaries
  • Nostalgia
  • Online archive
  • Buy Photos
  • Buy your paper
  • North Lakes Living
No Result
View All Result
Cumberland and Westmorland Herald
  • News
    Man fined £100 for using cashpoint in car park

    Man fined £100 for using cashpoint in car park

    Honour for man who devoted his life to Greystoke

    Honour for man who devoted his life to Greystoke

    Sheep breeder’s successful debut at Royal Highland Show

    Sheep breeder’s successful debut at Royal Highland Show

    Global engineering firm Babcock supports Eden charity

    Global engineering firm Babcock supports Eden charity

    Penrith Lions mark 50 years of serving community

    Penrith Lions mark 50 years of serving community

    £8,000 for two new nature reserve projects

    £8,000 for two new nature reserve projects

    Fun day in Penrith to celebrate community spirit

    Fun day in Penrith to celebrate community spirit

    Arrests after shoplifting incidents in Penrith

    Arrests after shoplifting incidents in Penrith

    Anti-social residents move out after threatened with police order

    Anti-social residents move out after threatened with police order

  • Sport
    Penrith skipper Nicky Burns calls on team to keep winning

    Penrith skipper Nicky Burns calls on team to keep winning

    £100,000 target for new changing rooms extension

    £100,000 target for new changing rooms extension

    Medal success for Upper Eden tug-of-war team

    Medal success for Upper Eden tug-of-war team

    Eden man competes in Hyrox World Games

    Eden man competes in Hyrox World Games

    Double national triumph for Stuart Robinson

    Double national triumph for Stuart Robinson

    Patterdale’s Eden Eagles make history

    Patterdale’s Eden Eagles make history

    Penrith teen crowned British vault champion

    Penrith teen crowned British vault champion

    Penrith gymnasts represent North of England in finals

    Penrith gymnasts represent North of England in finals

    New boss revealed for Penrith AFC

    New boss revealed for Penrith AFC

  • Obituaries
  • Nostalgia
  • Online archive
  • Buy Photos
  • Buy your paper
  • North Lakes Living
No Result
View All Result
Cumberland and Westmorland Herald
No Result
View All Result
Home Latest

Solutions explored to replace Alston’s ambulance

by CWH
9 November 2021
in Latest, News
A A
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

A four-wheeled drive vehicle could replace Alston’s dedicated ambulance service, parish councillors have been told.

Alston’s ambulance is under threat and the six emergency medical technicians (EMTs) who staff it are at risk of being made redundant as they no longer meet updated training requirements to operate it.

Ahead of last Monday’s meeting of Alston Moor Parish Council, attended by representatives from North West Ambulance Service, campaigners donned Hallowe’en costumes and lined the street to deliver a strong “hands off our ambulance” message.

They fear that lives will be put at risk if the area is left without its own ambulance. However, it appears that a compromise solution may have been found.

At the meeting, Gene Quinn, regional head of service for NWAS, said one proposal that had come out of the working groups which had been held was to move to a 4×4 vehicle model of cover which would mean EMTs and community first responders (CFRs) could work together.

The meeting was told that at present two emergency medical technicians (EMTs) were required to crew the ambulance, but only one would be needed to drive the 4×4 along with a community first responder (CFR) to back them up or travel with them.

Response times would also be improved as an EMT would be able to take the lease vehicle home rather than having to go and pick the ambulance up, the meeting heard.

“As for the concept of CFRs going on that ambulance, legally it can’t happen. The risk about having the (Alston) ambulance going forward is that it needs two people (EMTs) to respond on it, but having a blended approach means we can sustain it a bit longer,” said Mr Quinn.

Parish councillor Elaine Grew asked whether NWAS could confirm whether the vehicle being proposed would be an “all singing and all dancing” four-wheel drive vehicle.

Mr Quinn said North Cumbria Clinical Commissioning Group had confirmed at their last meeting that they would fund an all terrain vehicle and NWAS would support it, but further work needed to be carried out to see what livery and markings could be put on the vehicle from a national perspective.

Parish council chairman Norman English said: “So we have now got the situation where the ambulance is going and we are getting a 4×4?”

Mr Quinn said at the last working group the feeling was that a 4×4 vehicle would actually provide a better model of transport for the area, given the equipment it needed to carry, and it could also act in snow.

However, he said that no decision had yet been made and a leased 4×4 vehicle had not yet been procured.

“I just think it is a good step forward as it gives the CFRs a bit of clarification and a bit of assistance and support from somebody who has worked here a long time,” said Rhonda Stanger, of NWAS.

She added that it would also mean the area gets extra cover.

“For me it’s a good way forward and a good balance,” she said.

A concern, however, was raised about what would happen in winter if a patient was found lying on the floor outside.

At present, with the ambulance currently available to the EMTs, a patient can be put inside it to keep them warm while waiting for paramedics to arrive at the scene.

Mr Quinn said it was possible to get around things like that with the use of thermal blankets which would keep somebody warm and that could be an additional enhanced piece of kit which could be put on to the vehicle.

There was also a new tent which was available which not only keeps the casualty’s body warm, but also keeps the responders there with them protected, the meeting was told.

“One of the benefits of having that lease car, the 4×4, and having EMTs and CFRs working together, will mean that we won’t get to a position where there will be redundancies because there will be a vehicle for those people to operate on,” said Mr Quinn, who confirmed that at present an emergency medical technician would be required to drive that vehicle.

Steve Hattersley, who is both a parish councillor and an EMT, asked whether the proposed vehicle would be fitted with blue lights so it would be able to help protect the scene of a road traffic accident in a similar way that the Alston ambulance can.

Mr Quinn said it may be possible to get some “blue light spotters” fitted, and that was something which could be explored, should the go-ahead for the vehicle be granted.

Related Posts

Man fined £100 for using cashpoint in car park
News

Man fined £100 for using cashpoint in car park

4 July 2025
Honour for man who devoted his life to Greystoke
News

Honour for man who devoted his life to Greystoke

4 July 2025
Sheep breeder’s successful debut at Royal Highland Show
Farm and Countryside

Sheep breeder’s successful debut at Royal Highland Show

4 July 2025
Global engineering firm Babcock supports Eden charity
News

Global engineering firm Babcock supports Eden charity

4 July 2025
Penrith Lions mark 50 years of serving community
News

Penrith Lions mark 50 years of serving community

4 July 2025
£8,000 for two new nature reserve projects
Latest

£8,000 for two new nature reserve projects

3 July 2025
No Result
View All Result

Stay connected

Facebook Twitter Instagram

Most popular

Global engineering firm Babcock supports Eden charity

Global engineering firm Babcock supports Eden charity

4 July 2025
Partnership vs company: Choosing the right structure for your farming business

Partnership vs company: Choosing the right structure for your farming business

29 June 2025
Man fined £100 for using cashpoint in car park

Man fined £100 for using cashpoint in car park

4 July 2025
Sheep breeder’s successful debut at Royal Highland Show

Sheep breeder’s successful debut at Royal Highland Show

4 July 2025
Arrests after shoplifting incidents in Penrith

Arrests after shoplifting incidents in Penrith

2 July 2025
Honour for man who devoted his life to Greystoke

Honour for man who devoted his life to Greystoke

4 July 2025
Cumberland and Westmorland Herald Logo

33 Middlegate
Penrith
Cumbria
CA11 7SY

Phone: 01768 862313
Email: news@cwherald.com

Registered in England as Barrnon Media Limited. No: 12475190
VAT registration number: 343486488

Explore

  • News
  • Sport
  • Farming
  • Property
  • Obituaries
  • Nostalgia
  • Your view

Useful links

  • Contact us
  • Photosales
  • Online archive
  • Buy your paper
  • Digital edition
  • North Lakes Living
  • Advertise
  • About us

Follow us on

© Barrnon Media Limited 2025

Terms & Conditions / Privacy Policy / Cookie Policy

This website and its associated newspaper are members of the Independent Press Standards Organisation
Review Your Cart
0
Discount
Add Coupon Code
Subtotal
Total Installment Payments
Bundle Discount
Checkout

 
0
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Obituaries
  • Nostalgia
  • Online archive
  • more
    • North Lakes Living
    • Buy Photos
    • Buy your paper
    • About us
    • Contact us

© 2020 Cumberland & Westmorland Herald