Paramedics at the cutting edge of providing life-saving care are calling on families to join them at an exciting open day at the London Eye to find out more about rewarding careers at London Ambulance Service.
Visitors will have the chance to meet specialist paramedics who care for the capital and learn about the varied and exciting roles at the country’s busiest ambulance service.
These include crews from the Service’s Hazardous Area Response Team, who treat patients in dangerous situations such as those at height or in water, and the Cycle Response Unit, who weave through traffic on bikes to reach patients quickly.
Chris Pickering is a Tactical Response Unit Paramedic at the Service. This involves responding to incidents where there may be a heightened risk to patients or emergency services personnel.
This can include incidents involving weapons, corrosive substances, public disorder, or emergencies in and around water. He also works closely with specialist police teams, including firearms and counter-terrorism officers, to provide medical support in highly dynamic and potentially dangerous situations.
Chris Pickering, who started his career as an Apprentice Paramedic, said:
“Ultimately, our role is to bring lifesaving treatment to our patients, including in places where it might previously have been considered too dangerous for ambulance crews to enter.”
For Chris, a working day begins with preparing his response car and checking that all his medical equipment, medicines and personal protective equipment are present, working and ready to use.
His team will then talk through any potential issues in the day ahead and share any information relevant to his role, such as planned protests, major events or police operations taking place across London.
He said:
“I could be sent to any of the usual 999 calls that occur across the capital, including cardiac arrests, people with breathing difficulties, road traffic collisions and other medical emergencies.
“The day can change very quickly when a firearms incident is declared. I may need to meet police officers at a rendezvous point, put on ballistic protective equipment and work alongside other emergency services to reach and treat patients safely.
“Sometimes our role is about delivering immediate treatment, while at other times it is about being present and prepared so that help is available instantly should the situation deteriorate.”
He added:
“It can be difficult to describe a patient’s emergency as a career highlight, because what may demonstrate us working at our very best is often one of the most frightening or difficult days of that person’s life.
“For me, the reward comes from knowing that, when somebody urgently needs help, my colleagues and I are there to give them the best care we can. It might be restarting someone’s heart or just simply bringing some calm and compassion into an otherwise chaotic situation.
“One of the greatest and most consistent highlights of my career has been the people I have had the privilege of working alongside. We see one another at our most pressured and vulnerable, but also at our bravest and most compassionate.
“I can only do the job I do because of the strength, friendship and support of the people around me. We really are all in it together.”
Visitors will also be able to see some of the London Ambulance Service Historic Collection from historic ambulances to an old-fashioned medical kit.
The event will take place on Friday 21 August between 11am and 4pm in front of the London Eye between the gift shop and Belvedere Road.
If you would like to help support the London Ambulance Charity, why not take on a fundraising challenge? Join the London to Brighton Cycle Ride on 13 September or the next London Life Hike on 26 September to raise money for this vital cause.