claims on emergency medical treatment.

He slammed Shadow Health Minister Renee Webb for her comments on the use of firefighters for immediate first aid, prior to the arrival of ambulances at locations remote from the hospital.

Ms Webb had branded the system unworkable and unfeasible, and said its timing was intended as a bribe for the Bermudian people.

She questioned exactly which vehicles would be used to transport critical accident victims towards the hospital.

Her comments on the issue were made after Health and Social Services Permanent Secretary Donald Scott revealed the new scheme to The Royal Gazette .

Mr. Scott had said a critical part of the scheme was -- where necessary -- to have firefighters take patients towards the hospital to be met en route by an ambulance in order to cut down on the time until treatment.

He said fire service vehicles had already been "kitted out'' with medical equipment to both carry patients and treat them on the spot.

But Mr. Burgess contradicted the top civil servant and said fire personnel would not be moving patients but simply stabilising them until an ambulance arrived.

"After hearing her suggestions, I can only think Renee Webb has been living somewhere else or refuses to accept the true facts.'' He said he accepted that locations in the West End and East End were a long way from King Edward VII Memorial Hospital.

But he said the firefighters trained to deal with medical emergencies could save vital minutes whilst an ambulance heads to the scene.

And he said the plan had been worked on for two years, and had not been conceived in the last few months, adding: "Firemen are competent trained personnel, on the ground within minutes and can stabilise people so when the ambulance does arrive they are stable.'' Maxwell Burgess Graphic file name: MNAXX