Calls for national integrated fire and ambulance service

There is a call for national integrated system of fire and ambulance services.
It comes as a strategic review carried out in Dublin is slammed. Critics say the HSE needs to worry about services in the rest of the country and not in the capital.
Representatives for the health authority and paramedics went before an Oireachtas Health Committee earlier this week after it emerged that crucial response targets were being missed.
And chairman of the Irish Fire and Emergency Services Association John Kidd says people living outside Dublin are the most at risk.
“What we are calling for is a national  fire and ambulance service – and if the government would listen to us, we’d save people’s lives, save time and save the exchequer money” he said.
“One person a month seems to be losing his life down the country – the review should be held down in the country areas, not actually in Dublin”.
“Dublin has the second-highest rate in the world of a cardiac arrest” he added.