South Holland’s Community First Responders Complete 72-Hour OnCallAthon

A dedicated team of Community First Responders from South Holland has successfully completed a 72-hour OnCallAthon, proving their unwavering commitment to saving lives – day or night.

Over the course of the challenge, which saw volunteers from across the district take shifts to remain on call continuously, the team responded to seven emergency callouts. These included incidents involving falls and chest pain, ensuring that local people received immediate care before an ambulance arrived.

The OnCallAthon was more than a test of endurance – it was a powerful demonstration of what LIVES stands for. The charity, which supports a network of trained volunteers across Lincolnshire, is built on the principle that responders are your neighbours – the people you see every day – and they’re ready to step up when emergencies happen.

During the OnCallAthon, South Holland responders proved just how vital this early intervention is, arriving on scene within an average of 13 minutes of being dispatched. Across Lincolnshire, LIVES responders are first on scene over 70% of the time, providing critical care when every second counts.

James, a Community First Responder in South Holland has this to say when asked about why he wanted to get involved with the OnCallAthon,

“Hello everyone, my name is James. I’m taking part in The South Holland OnCallAthon because I want to help raise funds for LIVES.

I volunteer with LIVES because I currently work in a hazardous industry. The training I receive with LIVES gives me not only the training but the experience to know how to deal with various medical conditions and emergencies meaning I can be there for my friends, colleagues and loved ones should anything happen.

Since transferring to LIVES from another CFR scheme I have helped to achieve a return of spontaneous circulation and dealt with numerous critically ill patients with have really put my training and medical knowledge to the test.

Whilst I give up my time for free to help people, sadly the equipment I use to help them does not come for free.

For example, over the weekend during one incident I had to administer oxygen to a patient, this cylinder along with all of the other equipment I used on that call cost the charity money.

By contributing to our OnCallAthon you can help us carry out our life saving work across Lincolnshire”

Your donation ensures that LIVES volunteers can continue turning up — fast, skilled, and ready — when every second counts.