What is your role and how long have you worked with EAAA?

I am a Critical Care Paramedic (CCP) with EAAA. I work mostly out of our Cambridge base, and I have been with the charity for a little over two years. I’ve been a Paramedic since 2008.

What does a typical day look like in your role at EAAA?

I like to get in at 06:30 ready to take over from the night team at 07:00. There are drugs to draw, electrical devices to prepare and kit bags to pack before we load the aircraft and Rapid Response Vehicle (RRV), then formally check everything. The pilots, doctor and myself then sit down as a team. This is an opportunity to discuss threats, like bad weather, and brief to prepare ourselves for the shift. Then comes coffee and breakfast – this is a must for me, and the coffee has to be good!

From 07:00 to 19:00 we are available for tasking by helicopter or RRV. Between jobs, we have more kit to check, restocking, paperwork, and cleaning. In quiet periods, we use the time to train, debrief and research. We are always looking to improve and offer the most evidence-based, refined care to our patients.

“It is an honour to be there for someone and to be able to help in their time of crisis. ”

CCP Joe Dowsing

What is your favourite part of the job?

The time I spend directly in contact with our patients. It is an honour to be there for someone and to be able to help in their time of crisis. It’s a nice feeling that people are always pleased to see us arrive. Specifically, I particularly enjoy treating orthopaedic injuries, because we can take someone in significant pain and make them completely comfortable.

What is the toughest part of the role?

This job can be tough at times. Inevitably, we don’t always see the outcomes we would like, but we have a multitude of mechanisms available to promote our well-being. For me, I use the team around me, there is great camaraderie.

What is one thing you’d like supporters to know about EAAA?

EAAA is a fantastic organisation to work for but an even better organisation when people need us. Every day I see highly skilled pilots aviate, highly skilled doctors and critical care paramedics provide cutting edge, patient-focused, compassionate care, and that’s just the front end. Behind that are our fundraisers, support services and managers who keep everything running – but above all the public. You fund EAAA. Without you, none of what we do would be possible.