COUNTY firefighters are set to support the deployment of a new emergency field hospital which could be called upon during humanitarian disasters around the world.

Fire service personnel from across East Lancashire have regularly been called up by ISAR - the UK’s international search and rescue team, to deal with the aftermath of earthquakes, floods and tsunamis around the globe.

But now five recruits are being signed up to form part of an emergency medical logistics team, which can establish a medical outpost in a disaster spot within 72 hours.

Last December the emergency medical team was formally accredited by the World Health Organisation and becomes one of only six authorised to provide international humanitarian relief.

David Russel (corr), assistant chief fire officer, said in a fire authority report that those involved will undergo four months of training and could expect to be engaged in an operation for between seven and 10 days, before being relieved, as part of a three-week tour of duty.

He said: “Membership of the ISAR team is voluntary for all team members and as such, individuals are expected to commit a considerable amount of personal time to maintain competence and attend events.”

The emergency medical team is operated by the Department for International Development and their new field hospital should be capable of carrying out seven major and 15 minor operations per day, with up to 60 in-patient beds provided.

An agency called UKMed secures the release of NHS staff, to provide medical services for the unit, and one of their partners, Handicap International, is being brought in to offer rehabilitation expertise.

Sean Moore, ISAR’s national co-ordinator, said his outfit had been brought in because of their international experience and logistics capabilities.

He said: “We are mainly responsible for customs, unloading of the aircraft, and arranging for over 90 tonnes of equipment to be moved to the site we have selected.

“We would then work alongside partner agencies including UK-Med to literally build the infrastructure, in order to replicate key facilities found in a conventional hospital.

“Once built, we are responsible for all aspects of maintaining the site including catering, transport, assisting with the movement of patients, waste management, communications, and site health safety and security.”