I'm an Ambulance Dispatcher for West Midlands Ambulance Service. I also act up to Controller/Allocator for an area, I am responsible for the prompt and correct dispatch of 999 Ambulances to Emergency and Urgent calls in the Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Shropshire areas. Involves staring at 5 Computer screens for 12 hours, using the Airwave Radio system and organising vehicles on Stand-Bys etc.
I also run my local Community First Response Scheme in a small town just outside of Cannock in Staffordshire. We voluntarily respond to Emergency calls on behalf of West Midlands Ambulance Service (
http://www.nbbdcfr.org) we are the only schemes of our type in the country in the way we operate (We have Scheme Cars and also respond on Blue Lights and Sirens). I'm currently qualified to RoSPA Silver Standard in Advanced Driving and EDI Level 3 in Emergency Response Driving.
We go to all manner of Emergency calls ranging from a trip or fall to a Cardiac Arrest where someone is not breathing. We are trained to a nationally recognised standard by Paramedics. Usually we respond to calls that are within about 8 or 9 minutes of where we live but depending on demand we can go further than that also.
Currently I have a team of 7 Responders who provide cover most of the week on our Rapid Response vehicle.