As many employees around the country are furloughed, volunteering is something that many of us have turned our thoughts to. At Wienerberger we have proactively encouraged our own furloughed colleagues to volunteer where possible and safe to do so. Today, on Volunteer Recognition Day we would like to share and celebrate some of the great volunteer stories and we begin with Tim Burgess, Plant Manager at our Ewhurst site who has an interesting and double life!
Tim has volunteered as a first responder for South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Trust for around 5 years. He is trained to respond to a range of 999 incidents (choking, cardiac arrests, chest pain, diabetic emergencies etc.) and carries an ambulance radio fitted with a GPS tracker so he can be sent to the location of an incident within a 10 mile radius of his position.
He carries medical equipment in his car at all times and as well as being on call for around 200 hours a month, Wienerberger offers him the flexibility to respond to life threatening Category 1 calls when needed. In total, Tim attends 20-30 calls per month.
Tim has undergone intensive specialist medic training and keeps up to date with monthly CPD (continuous professional development) and regular 3rd manning with professional ambulance crews. His calling came when a paramedic saved the life of a family member and this inspired him to do the same for others. We are proud to have Tim on our team and are delighted to celebrate his work and that of many others like him, on Volunteer Recognition Day 2020.
