Words by Smiley Team
Debbie Roscoe was a mum who found herself in a position no parent should ever be in.
Her daughter, Ellie, became unwell and, after being quoted a two-four hour wait for an ambulance, Debbie found herself in resuscitation in the Heartlands Hospital in Birmingham.
Ellie was saved by the incredible staff at the hospital, but Debbie knew she could never let another mother feel the way she did. It was then that she had the idea for Arrive Alive.
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Arrive Alive is a charity for volunteer emergency responders who work with the ambulance service. Funded solely by public donations, it supports medically-trained volunteers who are regulated and dispatched to life threatening 999 calls by their local ambulance service.
One of the most important things Arrive Alive raises money for is vehicles that can be used to get to the sites of medical emergencies. “Every car is saving lives,” said Debbie, in an interview with BBC News.
The aim of Arrive Alive is to dispatch community first responders to reach 999 medical emergencies before traditional road or air ambulances. It can take precious minutes for road or air ambulance services to arrive, which is why these volunteers responders are so vital. They're trained to deal with life-threatening medical emergencies – and keep patients stable, and alive – until an ambulance arrives to transport them to a hospital.
All Arrive Alive vehicles are on the same radio network as standard ambulances, both road and air, so that they can receive the details of medical emergencies just as quickly.
DONATE: You can donate to Arrive Alive or attend one of their fundraising events by looking on their website.
GET INVOLVED: You can check the NHS website for more information on Community First Responders and how to become one.
