Employer backs Soham volunteer to respond to 999 calls

Tom Morrison, who works as a customer development co-ordinator at automotive engineering firm Ivor Searle, joined the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST) as a volunteer CFR a year ago.

CFRs are volunteers who are trained by the ambulance service to attend certain types of emergency calls in their local area. They can respond to potentially life-threatening emergencies, and they often arrive first on the scene to begin delivering life-saving care in the vital few minutes before ambulance crews arrive.

Since becoming a volunteer CFR, Tom’s employer has supported him in allowing him to attend life-threatening medical emergencies while he is on shift – should he get the call from EEAST’s control room.

Tom first became interested in volunteering after seeing a poster during a work-related first-aid course. After completing his training, he initially attended calls only during evenings and weekends, but soon felt he could offer more.

He said: “I was quite passionate about it and wanted to give more availability, so I brought it up at work. Fortunately, my work is project-based, so I can prioritise my tasks when I return.”

David Eszenyi, Commercial Director at Ivor Searle, which employs around 160 people, said: “We discussed how many calls he might get and agreed to try it – that was the only way to find out. It’s been running for a few months now and I’ve had no feedback that it’s been disruptive. It’s all good – and it’s a good thing for the community.”

Tom is encouraging other people to consider volunteering for the ambulance service. He said: “Do it - it’s amazing. There’s no better feeling than helping someone on one of the worst days of their life and making a difference. It’s worth speaking to your employer about booking-on during work time. I was initially scared to ask, but they’ve been very supportive, and it means there’s a resource available for local emergencies all week – not just at weekends and evenings.”