Samson Pallet Stability’s Dan Hirst has recently qualified as a Community First Responder for the Yorkshire Ambulance Service. As a Group, Samuel Grant supports charity and volunteering endeavours of all the team, and we were interested to hear more from Dan as to why he’s taken on such a big role outside of work.
“Last summer, my mother was in intensive care and her chances of survival were bleak for a short while. Luckily, she rallied and is now on the mend, but the experience was a stark reminder of the fragility of life. I couldn’t thank the hospital staff enough for their efforts, even during the doctors strikes. It was going through that which made me look into volunteering as a Community First Responder (CFR), as a thank you to the NHS for helping my mother recover and to give something back to the community.
“After being accepted at the initial interview back in February, I then carried out the various checks, e-learning courses, and the physical training. My manager, Julia Davis, has been very supportive and encouraging whilst I’ve been going through the recruitment and training process.
“As part of the Yorkshire Ambulance Service, I now volunteer for at least 20 hours a month, amongst a team in the local area to where I live. A CFR can be the first person to attend a 999 call for a multitude of health issues including heart attacks, strokes, and seizures. We are trained in basic life support and are there to assist a patient until a paramedic arrives.
“I’ve never done any volunteering of this nature before, and whilst it’s very new at the moment, it will feel very rewarding when I’ve been able to help someone in possibly one of their worst moments. Giving up a few hours of my free time not only helps others in my local community, but it helps the NHS free up their resources.”
“ Dan is a major part of the success of the Samson Pallet Stability team. I am incredibly proud of him becoming a CFR volunteer and I know he will be equally brilliant.” – Julia Davis (Managing Director).