Helping hand for ambulance volunteers

VOLUNTEERS for the ambulance service have thanked the Friends of Melksham Hospital & Community for a donation of equipment to assist them on calls. 

The community first responders, who serve the Melksham area, have been donated two ‘Raiser lifting chairs’. The remote controlled chairs help to safely lift patients off the floor after a fall. 

“The chairs will help reduce the amount of time patients are on the floor and reduce patients’ anxiety and distress due to falls,” explained community first responder Tony Mayell. “So, thank you to the chairman and the committee members of Friends of Melksham Hospital & Community for the donation.” 

Community first responders are volunteers who are trained by the ambulance service to attend certain types of emergency calls in the area where they live or work.  Their aim is to reach a potential life threatening emergency in the first vital minutes before the ambulance crew arrives. 

“I’ll finish work at the end of the day,” explains Tony, “and then log on and get ready for any call outs, such as cardiac arrests or strokes. 

“We use our own cars, and carry with us the Raiser lifting chair and a response bag.”