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The volunteers who make up the Alderney Ambulance crew have gone on strike in an apparent show of solidarity with a colleague.
The service is an independent organisation, run solely for the people of Alderney and is not affiliated with any other ambulance service.
The States of Alderney has confirmed the strike action, saying it is involving "some Ambulance Service staff" and that it has "threatened to place the island's community in a critical situation".
However, staff from Guernsey's St John Ambulance Service have been sent to Alderney to offer 'critical cover' at this time.
A spokesman for St John said:
“St John Ambulance Guernsey has received a request to temporarily provide ambulance cover in Alderney. Staff from the emergency ambulance service will be travelling to Alderney and will be on duty to respond to ambulance calls.
"The Alderney Ambulance Service is an independent organisation which is not affiliated to St John.”
Pictured: Image from the Alderney Ambulance website.
The States of Alderney has said it is "working closely with the Alderney Ambulance Service and the St John's Ambulance in Guernsey to ensure that the island continues to be covered by an ambulance service during the current industrial action."
The island's government has also said not all ambulance staff are involved in the industrial action and those crew members are "continuing to provide a service alongside the urgent cover provided by the St John's Ambulance Service".
Talks are due to be held later today between the States and the Alderney Ambulance Service to consider how the situation can be resolved.
The States of Alderney website says the Alderney Ambulance Service Limited is responsible for providing 24 hour emergency ambulance cover on the island.
'Front line ambulances are crewed by Qualified Emergency Medical Technicians who are trained to respond to emergencies, perform an assessment of your condition, administer emergency treatments and interventions and transfer you to hospital where indicated. For all emergencies requiring an emergency medical response you should call 999 where the control room based in Guernsey can mobilise the crew.'
Alderney's ambulance service is not a free service and is funded by subscription as well as States funding and donations. The States website says patients who have not subscribed will be invoiced for any ambulance calls.
Pictured top: Inset image from the Alderney Ambulance website.
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