Standing item.
Minutes:
ACFO Russel introduced Graham Mossop, Watch Manager at Lancaster Fire Station. In April 2017 a paper was brought to the CFA that informed Members about the work of the UK International Search and Rescue Team (UK ISAR) and the introduction of a new logistics role that supported the UK Emergency Medical Team (UK EMT). The UK EMT enabled deployment of a field hospital anywhere in the world and the role of UK ISAR was to support that deployment.
ACFO Russel advised that WM Mossop had been part of the ISAR team for 14 years with the last 2 years spent training hard to be part of the EMT. The Service was very proud of the hard work and dedication WM Mossop had shown.
WM Mossop took the opportunity to thank the Combined Fire Authority and the Service Executive Board for their support. He explained that UK ISAR was a co-operative of Fire and Rescue Services formed over 25 years ago responding to humanitarian disasters and emergencies and providing capacity building across the world.
The UK EMT was a collaboration between: the Department for International Development (DFID), NHS / Public Health England, UK Med, Handicap International and UK ISAR.
On 17 December 2017 a team was mobilised to Bangladesh to carry out a Medical Needs Assessment, which resulted in the mobilisation of the UKEMT on 24 December 2017.
WM Mossop explained that the mobilisation was to support the rise in Diphtheria cases in the refugee Rohingya community and due to in country medics being diverted to treat patients. The World Health Organisation had requested assistance to further assist UNICEF with a vaccination campaign aimed at vaccinating children between the ages of 6 weeks – 15 years old.
Difficulties included: Travel distances to reach patients as these could be as long as 2 hours each way; procurement of items in the bazaars; waste management; water sanitation and hygiene (WaSH).
WM Mossop assessed: the infrastructure and the treatment centres and highlighted both good and bad practices in relation to WaSH; he liaised with infection control practitioners, generated standard operating procedures and promoted WaSH in line with international operating standards. A simple 4 bin system was introduced to segregate at the point of use, clinical waste, non-clinical waste, sharps and glass. Chlorination of water was addressed with a simpler system using aquatabs being adopted in the health / diphtheria antitoxin (DAT) centres.
Fire Safety training was given to the Rohingya security guards at all the centres in relation to raising the alarm, evacuation procedures and the use of fire extinguishers.
Training of local clinicians took place which was designed to enable them to continue DAT and associated medical treatments.
The positive outcomes were that; the UK EMT triaged over 3,000 refugees with over 500 being treated for diphtheria; 5,100 refugees across all areas were treated with DAT; antibiotics were provided for mumps and tonsillitis; the UK government donated approximately £2m towards the cost of the massive vaccination programme and over £59m in total to the crisis; clinical skills of local medical staff were improved and the infrastructure and procedures in relation to WaSH were improved across all sites.
A total of 350,000 children had been vaccinated in the district in addition to 130,000 local Bangladesh children who lived in close proximity.
On behalf of the Authority, the Chairman thanked WM Mossop for his interesting presentation.