I REFER to the story on the front of last week’s Guardian regarding the The North West Ambulance Service being unable to meet its target of responding to an incident within eight minutes.
This is hardly suprising with the way Warrington has grown over the last 20 years, terms of housing developments and population.
As far as I am aware there are only two dedicated ambulances for Warrington, supported by one or two fast response paramedic cars, all stationed at Farrell Street Ambulance Station. How on earth is an ambulance let alone a fast response paramedic expected to reach an incident in Culcheth or Glazebury within eight minutes with the horrendous traffic conditions in Warrington?
On top of that we have three motorways running through the town. If a major incident occurs on these roads then all our ambulances are tied up, leaving no cover for other incidents in the town.
When I was stationed at Risley Police Station in the 80s it was mooted that an ambulance would be stationed at Birchwood Fire Station to cover the north and east of the town. Sadly the idea never materialised.
The only cover for Warrington then was two ambulances. Little has changed The only way we can ensure we have the necessary ambulance cover that the public pay for through their taxes, is to provide more ambulances to enable staff to meet the targets they have been set.
GARY BEBBINGTON Grappenhall
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