Maggie's call: Fire crews scheme continues despite legal threats

Five-year-old Maggie Black from Glenarm died in December after she had been feeling unwell for several days

An initiative which would see firefighters called to cardiac arrest emergencies in Carnlough, County Antrim, is continuing despite threatened legal action, the fire service has said.

The health minister had said it was "unfortunate" that legal issues raised by the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) "stalled" its rollout.

But on Wednesday it was confirmed work associated with the scheme was ongoing.

It started on Saturday.

The co-responder scheme followed a call from the family of Maggie Black who died in nearby Glenarm in December.

Chief Fire and Rescue Officer Peter O'Reilly told the BBC he had received a solicitor's letter from a firm acting on behalf of the local regional committee of the FBU.

"This letter threatened legal action against Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) if I did not confirm, in writing, that NIFRS would not proceed with the work associated with 'Maggie's Call'," he said.

"I can confirm that the work associated with Maggie's Call, at Carnlough Fire and Rescue Station, began at 17:00 GMT on Saturday 26 February 2022 and continues," he added.

He said the NIFRS would continue to meet with the representative bodies of firefighters to determine how best to progress 'Maggie's Call' to all NIFRS stations.

Mr O'Reilly added: ""Maggie's call' has expedited our plans to enhance how we deliver our service to the public.

"Working in partnership with our colleagues in Northern Ireland Ambulance Service, we are committed to answering 'Maggie's Call'.

Maggie's family want to see the dispatch of the fire service in similar situations to the one they faced

"We know that by ensuring the fastest response possible we can give patients the best possible chance of survival.

"We are determined to support similar local communities who would also like to see their local community firefighters answer 'Maggie's Call' and be mobilised to save more lives."

The FBU executive council member for Northern Ireland, Jim Quinn said, "The FBU have made it abundantly clear to NIFRS and the Fire Board that we are not opposed in principle to an emergency medical response scheme.

"Our door is open to working with all parties on this issue, and we encourage NIFRS to properly engage with the FBU as soon as possible, in order to provide a genuinely improved service to the public."