Volunteer emergency responder partnership expands with new Shefford base
A lifesaving volunteer partnership has expanded to a third base in Shefford.
The volunteer emergency responders are often first on the scene for crises like cardiac arrests and trauma – providing vital medical care in life-threatening situations.
In 2025 alone, volunteers in the BHECCS Emergency Responder scheme attended over 780 emergency calls, arriving first on scene in 87 per cent of incidents, and volunteered more than 2,600 hours of their time.
More than 20 new volunteers have been recruited in this latest expansion, from walks of life ranging from IT and insurance to airline pilot.
All volunteers have previous pre-hospital medical experience – with some even coming from other emergency services. In total, there are now over 50 volunteers in the scheme across Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire.
The East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST) and the Beds and Herts Emergency Critical Care Scheme (BHECCS), a volunteer-run critical care charity, have been working together since March 2024 and were already based at Hemel Hempstead and Welwyn Garden City.
The new base at Shefford Fire Station went live on February 28.
Tom Barker, Head of Collaborative Response at EEAST, said: "Emergency Responder volunteers are already making a meaningful difference for patients across Bedfordshire Hertfordshire, as well as in Norfolk through our partnership with Norfolk Accident Rescue Service. The expansion to Shefford will help us respond to medical emergencies faster, getting help to patients when every second counts."
One of the newly recruited volunteers is Meppershall resident Andrew Keen, whose professional career is in the hospitality and events industry. Andrew also has nearly two decades of medical volunteer experience, including as a Community First Responder for EEAST in nearby Henlow.
Andrew said: "I was attracted to the BHECCS Emergency Responder voluntary role as the variety of emergencies we could be called to means I can use a range of clinical skills. I'm excited to be starting my first shift from the Shefford base and proud to play a part in making a real difference for our community."