CHAPTER 21
FIRST AID AND EMERGENCY SERVICES
No Fault by the Emergency Services
296. I say at the outset of this chapter that no valid criticism can be made of the response by the St John Ambulance Brigade, by SYMAS or by the fire brigade on 15 April. Indeed, no represented party ventured any criticism of them. The only attack on SYMAS came from two Liverpool doctors. One claimed that ambulances did not arrive swiftly or with sufficient equipment and that there was a lack of triage. He was proved to be wrong in all three respects. Unfortunately he had seen fit to go on television on 15 April when he said more lives could have been saved if staff and equipment had arrived earlier. Apart from being proved wrong in fact as to the times of arrival of ambulances, he conceded in evidence that it was not possible to say whether lives could have been saved. His comments on television were irresponsible. The other doctor complained of the absence of defibrillators. I am satisfied on overwhelming evidence that to attempt to use a defibrillator on the pitch with people milling about would have been highly dangerous owing to the risk of injury from the electric charge.
297. I find that all three of the emergency services named above responded promptly when alerted, that they brought appropriate equipment and that their personnel operated efficiently.
298. It would be unreasonable to expect, at any sports stadium, medical facilities capable of dealing with a major disaster such as occurred. To have in advance at the ground, oxygen, resuscitators, stretchers, other equipment and medical staff sufficient to deal with over 100 casualties is not practicable.
299. What is required is a basic level of provision for first aid, for professional medical attention and for ambulance attendance, together with a system of co-ordination with the emergency services which will bring them to the scene swiftly in whatever numbers are required. What will amount to an appropriate basic provision for the future eg the equipment in a first aid room, requires expert evaluation and advice.
300. On the day, there was no clear understanding between the Club and Dr Purcell as to his role. He believed he was primarily there to attend to the players. The Club regarded him also as the "physician available to attend at the first aid room if required", as laid down in the Safety Certificate.
301. There was insufficiently close co-operation between the police and the emergency services. It is clear that SYMAS and the fire brigade should have been called earlier than they were. However, in view of the nature and extent of the crushing, the time when police rescue began and the pathetically short period for which those unable to breathe could survive, it is improbable that quicker recourse to the emergency services would have saved more lives.
302. Finally, there was evidence that an advertising board had to be knocked down at the north-east corner of the ground to allow an ambulance onto the pitch and that at the top of the ramp leading to the pitch the access for ambulances was inadequate. There was also evidence that the pre-match arrangement for ambulances to use the two gates from Penistone Road at the north-east end of the ground as in and out routes was frustrated by the presence of vehicles just inside the ground. In the event, none of these matters affected operations. The hoarding was quickly knocked down. The difficult access to the ramp was negotiated and ambulances used one entrance satisfactorily by backing out when loaded.
