Volunteer Heroes Slash Ambulance Response Times in South East England
Emergency Responders Cut Crucial Minutes
Two teams of volunteer Emergency Responders (ERs) are rewriting the rulebook on patient care in Kent and West Sussex. Since early 2023, these volunteers have rushed to the aid of hundreds of critically ill patients, slashing response times in life-or-death situations.
Fast and Furious: Blue Lights and Sirens in Action
Running under South East Coast Ambulance Service’s (SECAmb) groundbreaking initiative, the first ER team launched from Ashford, Kent, focusing on Romney Marsh in February 2023. The second squad hit the roads in Crawley and Horsham, West Sussex, a month later.
Unlike community responders, ERs operate from official SECAmb bases and standby points, booking shifts to guarantee swift deployment. They’re fully trained, including blue-light driving, and roll out in dedicated vehicles to handle emergencies across the spectrum—from deadly Category 1 calls to helping fallen patients.
Eye-Popping Stats: Thousands of Hours, Hundreds of Lives Helped
- 21 ER volunteers clocked over 9,000 service hours.
- Responded to 1,600+ incidents, including 281 Category 1 calls.
- New Romney squad averages under 8 minutes response time on critical calls.
- West Sussex volunteers shaved that down to 6 minutes 58 seconds on average.
Officials Praise Volunteer Efforts
David Wells, SECAmb’s Head of Community Resilience, lauded the volunteers as “pivotal in boosting our emergency services.” He highlighted the rigorous clinical and driving training they undergo to keep patients safe until full ambulance support arrives.
Dan Garrett, Operating Unit Manager for Gatwick, called the ERs “invaluable” in tackling critical incidents swiftly. Meanwhile, Nick Keech, Ashford’s unit boss, credited the volunteers with dramatically improving response times in tricky rural areas like New Romney.
SECAmb is now gearing up for a full review of the trial, but there’s no denying these dedicated volunteers have already made a massive impact on emergency care across the South East.
