Petition to Save Fire Co-Responders

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Attending calls such as births, cardiac arrests, traumatic injuries, and critical medical emergencies, Fire Co- Responders see lives changed - and lives saved - because the trained co-responders arrived when every second counted.

Now, the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWAST) has begun phasing out this life-saving partnership, replacing professional Fire Co-Responders with volunteer Community First Responders (CFRs).

This decision threatens to weaken emergency response in our most rural areas, and isolated areas.

Why Fire Co-Responders Matter:

• Fire Co-Responders are paid, trained on-call firefighters equipped with defibrillators, oxygen, and life-saving skills.
• They are blue-light trained drivers using fire service vehicles to respond quickly under emergency conditions.
• They always attend in pairs, a crucial advantage during resuscitations and high-risk incidents.
• They operate with secure communications and are backed by fire control support.

What’s at Stake:

Rural geography and stretched ambulance resources add delays to critical incidents. Removing professional Fire Co-Responders will increase response times, reduce the level of care available, and put lives in danger.

Issues such as equipment funding, specialist insurance for emergency driving, and the safety concerns of lone responders have not been publicly addressed in SWAST’s plan.

Fire Co-Responders have been a vital safety net since 1996. Their professionalism, training, and community trust cannot simply be replaced.

We Urge Decision-Makers to Reconsider

We call on SWAST and local government leaders to halt the phase-out of Fire Co-Responders and engage in meaningful consultation with frontline staff, communities, and public safety advocates.

Sign to Show Your Support

Your signature is a stand for public safety, emergency readiness, and the value of trained professionals in life-or-death situations. Help us protect a service that has saved countless lives—and will continue to, if given the chance.

Sign now to preserve the Fire Co-Responder Scheme.