FIREFIGHTERS have been drafted in to Hereford County Hospital to test face masks for doctors and nurses during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Eight firefighters are at the county hospital for the two-week period to test the personal protective equipment.

Each member of staff who wears a mask has to be "fit tested" in order to check the masks fit properly to provide protection.

They have been using a piece of kit called a Portacount machine, which measures dust particles in the air and then how many particles have got inside the mask.

Filters stop particles entering the mask, so any particles inside must have come from an inefficient seal – meaning the fit is not right for the member of staff.

"To help our amazing NHS, some of our firefighters have been at Hereford hospital checking that the staff PPE masks are giving a secure fit and keeping everyone safe," Hereford fire station said.

"We're using a Portacount machine which measures particles very accurately, so we can check that NHS staff are getting a mask which fits properly and keeping them protected."

A spokesperson for Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service added: "There are a total of eight firefighters, two teams of four, at the County Hospital led by station commander Amy Bailey.

"They are there for two weeks in total with four there at any one time.

"They are assisting the NHS by testing face masks as part of the infectious disease face mask fitting team."

In the four months from February 2020, Wye Valley NHS Trust said all staff working in clinical areas were fit tested.

In October, the Trust said it used the most efficient FFP3 masks, with limited FFP2 masks for those who have failed to be fitted to an FFP3.

While both masks are approved by the World Health Organisation to protect against coronavirus, FFP3 masks also have a longer lifespan.