Blood riders

[hellkat]

Anyone done it?

Experiences, tips, advice, much appreciated.
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Not nearly as interesting in real life.

[Bloke]

Few guys in work volunteer for it. You need to be iam or rospa gold before they'll even consider putting you through your blue light training.

You ride their bike and basically do shift work for a week long period. Bike and pager stay with you for the week then you pass it on.

Despite it being a volunteer service you'll also get looked down on by the nhs blue light drivers as effectively these charities are pricing the drivers out of a job.

That said though who wouldn't like a blast on a blues and twos run.
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2008 VFR800 VTEC

[hellkat]

Hmmm, thanks. I must be with the economy version, then, cos I joined this outfit called SERV recently - and did a training evening last night, and now I'm scheduled to do Monday nights fortnightly 7pm-6am on call.

They did say I might be advised to do an IAM course, which is fine with me ... and suggested other short courses, but they were happy to take me on along with five other people (all guys). Riding our own bikes, not theirs. (Although apparently I need a new back tyre, haha)

I got a luminescent jacket (only time anybody will ever see me wearing one of them), and a card badgey thing with my picture on it, and a label that says "Emergency Blood" on it, but no blue lights and then a short tour to show us where the blood bank at Tooting was, and a few hospitals and "meeting points" in Kent and Surrey, along with a list of other hospitals where I'm likely to end up. As I'm based in Docklands at the moment, I presume I'll end up mostly on the Kent and Essex side, but I don't mind. Gets me out the house, off Farmville

I'm unbothered about being looked down upon by any sorta jumped-up ambulance driver (pardon me, 999 Kid, no insult intended, LOL). Anyway, my shoulders are as broad as my arse. Its only about doing something useful.

I've been too anaemic to donate blood, until recently, and even then my Hb levels are still questionable ... so this was my next best option. And I have a lot of time on my hands, now my daughter has left home, figured I might as well make myself useful.

Was doing stuff with so-called "underprivileged" kids for a bit (i.e., chavs and rudeboys) but got bored with their attitude and all they wanna do is smoke dope and sit round. Temptation is too strong to do the same, LOL!
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Not nearly as interesting in real life.

[Bloke]

I'm with you on the nhs driver thing just my next door neighbour is one so when a friend popped over on his blood bike he kicked off about it, can kinda see his point but meh.

Heard of serv in the past didn't know they were different to my local outfit. I give blood anyway but gotta say one of the big attractions to the job for me is the blue light training and associated runs.
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2008 VFR800 VTEC

[Cheeseybeaner]

Why not work for lewis day medical couriers or something and get paid to do the same?

[hellkat]

Good point, that prolly never occurred to me.
But I have a nice warm dry office job, already.

My ex was a courier for too many years, so I know how crap that can be. I don't wanna have to ride my bike all day, every day in all seasons.

Once a fortnight or thereabouts is fine with me
(plus I can take the car if I really want)
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Not nearly as interesting in real life.

[Clanger]

If I remember rightly 999Kid is hoping to do this type of thing himself... or was it Paramedic biking? (I'm sure he'll be along to correct me... )

Anyway, good for you HK...

I was doing some community work this morning...working with disabled and autistic kids doing 'sports' at an Enable Me session. I explained that I couldn't run, that I was supposed to be there as an extra set of eyes and ears....but they paired me up with a kid determined to exit the building at any given moment!!!

Bloody sports hall had four exits... well I certainly got some exercise (I am now extremely efficient at power walking )
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Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter won't mind - Dr. Seuss