Firefighters step in to help with vaccine roll out in Ashfield

Carl Tolley and Adrian Thompson are used to helping to save lives in their everyday job as firefighters, but they have now stepped up to volunteer at the Ashfield Health Village helping with the COVID-19 vaccinations until the end of July

Carl, who is 51, is from the Sutton Road fire station, in Kirkby, and Ady (Adrian), who is 51, is from Carlton Fire Station and have both been trained to do the vaccinations.

To date, Carl, who has been in the fire service since 2016, and Ady, a firefighter since 2004, have vaccinated over 800 people which averages at around 271 vaccinations a week.

The pair also work on logging in patients, making the centre bookings and also show the waiting patients to their vaccination areas.

Since the vaccination programme got underway, the county’s fire and rescue service has vaccinated over 11,000 people across Nottinghamshire whilst supporting its NHS partners.

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Carl and Ady are working alongside a range of assistants, from nurses, midwifes to carers and doctors all the way to laboratory technicians and operating theatre assistants who have volunteered to support the COVID-19 vaccination roll out.

Carl said: “I volunteered to make a difference and I wanted to help in any way I could!

"With me and Ady being at the centre and supporting the roll out means that people can get vaccinated more quickly and hopefully will mean we are closer to ‘normal’ life.

“It’s great to know we are making a difference and the patients appreciate us being there. Although some are surprised to see their local firefighters vaccinating, they remain happy for us to carry out the vaccination as we are fully trained and prepared.

"Some even like the fact a firefighter is doing the vaccination more!”

Ashfield Health Village, Portland Street, Kirkby in Ashfield, was one of the county’s first vaccination services and opened in January. One of the area’s first residents to get a vaccination at the site was 81-year-old Eric Gent.

Kirkby vaccine volunteer describes role on frontline helping fight virus