Army vehicles are to be brought in to assist the Scottish Ambulance Service in the current severe weather conditions.
Ambulance staff will be driven to patients by army drivers in military 4×4 vehicles and will transfer patients to appropriate care. The support is being provided in the central belt while the snow and freezing conditions continue to hamper ambulance crews.
Cabinet Secretary for Health Nicola Sturgeon said:
“I welcome news that the army will provide 4×4 vehicles for the Scottish Ambulance Service as part of the all-Scotland effort to keep the country moving during the severe weather conditions.
“The Scottish Ambulance Service is working tirelessly to ensure patients get the help and the care they need. Ambulance crews across central Scotland will now receive operational assistance from the military to help to overcome the difficulties in retrieving patients.
“We must all work together to overcome the difficulties and I would urge the public to only call 999 if it is a genuine emergency.”