The Swadlincote Community First Responders (CFR) are running a recruitment drive for volunteers to help answer 999 emergency calls in Swadlincote, Derbyshire. Volunteers attend life‑threatening incidents such as suspected heart attacks and strokes and, because they live locally, can often arrive to provide lifesaving care before a land ambulance reaches the scene.
No prior medical experience is required: the East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) provides a bespoke training package for new CFRs covering basic life support, CPR, use of an automated external defibrillator (AED), oxygen therapy and patient assessment. According to the group’s recent figures (November/December 2025), Swadlincote CFR volunteered more than 210 hours and attended 54 emergencies.
Applicants must be over 18, hold a full UK driving licence held for more than one year with no more than three penalty points, pass an Enhanced DBS check, and be willing to provide a minimum of 16 hours per month on call (typically around 16–20 hours). The local group relies on public donations to buy response kits and AEDs.
People who want to apply can use EMAS’s online volunteering portal. As of 30 January 2026 the team is aiming to double its active responder hours to move toward 24/7 local coverage and to help improve local response where ambulances are delayed amid wider pressures on EMAS.
For more information and to apply: EMAS volunteer opportunities.
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