Hundreds of troops are being trained to drive ambulances and fight fires in the event of public sector strike action, the Government has said. Around 2,000 military personnel and civil servants are being trained to support a range of services – including Border Force at airports and ports, the Cabinet Office said on Sunday.
They include up to 600 armed forces personnel and 700 staff from the Government’s specialist Surge and Rapid Response Team, as well as other parts of the Civil Service. Ministers are also planning for the potential deployment of military personnel to assist in ambulance driving and firefighting.
“Decisions are yet to be taken on deploying troops to these tasks but they are part of the range of options available should strike action in these areas go ahead as planned,” the Cabinet Office said in a a press notice.
