Firefighters' new medical kits will help to '˜save more lives'

The new bag will contain a defibrillator, a pocket resuscitation mask, thermal blankets and a variety of dressings and will replace the basic first aid kit previously in all officer vehicles.

About 60 of these new medical kits will be given out to officers, up to and including the chief, to get these life-saving tools into the community.

Training on the equipment is set to begin for Hampshire firefighters next month.

The new gear comes after the service finished placing its immediate emergency care (IEC) enhanced medical bags, also containing a defibrillator, on all 85 fire engines across the county, giving fire crews better tools and knowledge to treat casualties.

Station manager David Heybourne said: ‘We now have IEC enhanced medical bags on 85 fire engines and in 19 of our co-responder vehicles. With these additional 60 officer bags, this makes a grand total of 164 extra bags of medical equipment with added provision of suitably trained medical fire personnel to assist with any situation.

‘The equipment will save lives and, combined with the extra training that we are giving to our staff, will give them the resources to help keep the residents of Hampshire safe, on or off duty.’