Anyone a current or previous or have any experience of volunteering for the ambulance service?

I’ve recently ventured along this path, for the usual reasons someone volunteers for anything but mostly to offset the soul crushing pointless existence in my normal day job.
Had my training recently, the whole experience so far has been quite eye opening, I’ve a whole new level of respect for the ‘professionals’.

Not quite but I’m a Pharmacist for an NHS community trust and we’re potential first responders for major incidents when we’re on call. I’ve done some training including volunteering for a big exercise at the Dover port simulating a terror attack explosion on a ferry. It was in the middle of the night in November and was very realistic. We had no briefing until we got there and then just had to go with it as you would. It was multi agency, helicopters involved, the lot. My role was medication supply for the ‘walking wounded’ or ‘well but missing regular meds’ survivors at the temporary rest centre. My station was a corner of a costa coffee in the service area! It was fascinating and great to be a part of. Some good learning points came out of it so you could improve things. I was quite dreading it when I got asked to go but I really enjoyed it.

My retired parents do this – c80-90ish hours between them per week. There’s a huge amount to take on, including logistics, updating maps, regular training, finances to sort etc. On a good day they get a lot of satisfaction from making a huge difference. On a bad day folk they know die. On a really bad day a child is in trouble. So be ready for the bad days too.

Well done for volunteering for this. You will always be first there and what you do will make the difference.

There does seem to be a lot of retirement age folk doing it, as well as youngsters. Not many in between (which is where I am) for obvious reasons I guess. But my kids are grown up/live with mum, so mostly I’m on my own.
Obviously I cant clock big hours, but weekends and a couple of evenings a week no problem.
It’s very daunting, huge amount to take on-board, but everyone I’ve met is an absolute inspiration.

Well done and thanks Barkm.

I have one across the road, his wife works full time he does the “during school hours” shift.

He delights in driving one of those Volvo V70’s with the lights on into our cul-de-sac for no other reason than he thinks he’s some kind of Demi God. He’s been told off on a number of occasions for it so his wife says, but despite his stupidity I’m kinda glad he’s over the road, means we have some coverage for a lack of real service by the NHS, and we have a load of retired Oldies around here and he’s always called out to falls and stumbles.

Some are great, some are shocking walts. All are better than nothing, so well done for getting out there and doing something. Sometimes crews won’t appreciate you and that’s not very nice, but some
People are just a bit like that. Volunteering to be there on someone’s worst day is quite a big thing and sometimes “the professionals” forget that.