Thursday 6th June 2019 – 8.00am – Murray MacGregor.
This week we are remembering the amazing people from right across the West Midlands who volunteer, day in, day out, to support West Midlands Ambulance Service and the public at large.
Literally hundreds of people support the Trust on a daily basis so it is only right and proper that we pay tribute to them during Volunteers Week.
Trust Chief Executive, Anthony Marsh, said: “Whether you are a community first responder (CFRs), a BASICS Emergency Doctor, someone who trains people in CPR, a volunteer car driver or someone who raises vital funding for one of our air ambulance charities, your work is immense and helps to save lives.
“I would like to single out our CFRs who show incredible dedication; they are teams of volunteers who are trained by WMAS to a nationally recognised level and provide lifesaving treatment to people in their local community. They are willing to drop everything to provide immediate medical care prior to the arrival of ambulance resources. Last year they responded almost 12,000 times and were available many hundreds of thousands of hours.
“I would also single out the many hundreds of individuals, communities and businesses that have raised money or invested in life saving defibrillators. In the UK, 135,000 people die each as a result of suffering an out of hospital cardiac arrest. By increasing the number of defibs, many more lives can be saved.
“I also recognise the hugely important role our SALS (Staff Advice and Liaison Service) advisors play in supporting staff in a whole range of situations; I truly value the help and support you provide.
“The final group that I would like to single out are the Trusts Governors who help the organisation on an on-going basis. The Governors represent the local community, staff and key stakeholder’s interests who together help shape the service.
“Whichever form of volunteering you participate in, I am extremely grateful for all that you do to support us.”
Ends