GREENHITHE PARAMEDIC AND TRAINER – FROM AIRBORNE EMERGENCIES IN ARIZONA, TO GETTING THE BEST OUT OF AMBULANCE CREWS IN SOUTH LONDON

SAVOY VENTURES LTD.

NHS PATIENT TRANSPORT

PRESS RELEASE

April 19, 2011.

GREENHITHE PARAMEDIC AND TRAINER – FROM AIRBORNE EMERGENCIES IN ARIZONA, TO GETTING THE BEST OUT OF AMBULANCE CREWS IN SOUTH LONDON. 

Video – career.

Video – Indian reservations and shootings in Atlanta.

When Greenhithe-based Paramedic and Training Manager Jonathan Smith says he’s seen more than most, he’s not exaggerating.

Jonathan, (age), stepped into the training role at patient transport service provider Savoy Ventures Limited after returning from the USA where he spent more than 20 years as an emergency medical technician and paramedic.

His career took him to Atlanta – one of the most dangerous cities in the world – where he dealt with up to four gunshot injuries on each shift, but also to the Native American Indian reservations, more often than not arriving by helicopter or light aircraft to tackle and treat victims of accident, illness or assault.

Jonathan now helps train and develop Savoy’s growing team of ambulance technicians.

But his induction to the profession was very different. After becoming a technician in 1990, he moved on to paramedic status in 1992, and in 1996 joined the airborne medical ranks, then in 2003 gained his critical care flight paramedic certification – his number is 61 in the whole world.

“I started flying in Georgia, mainly around Atlanta, then went over to the Native American Indian reservations in Arizona, flying with the likes of the Navajo and Apaches – an amazing experience, because we first-responded in helicopters,” said Jonathan.

“Because of the distances out there, ground transport meant an ambulance could be out of its region for 12 or 16 hours, so even on helicopters we’d have our patients with us for an hour and a half. One of our helicopters working the reservations could make 125 flights a month.”

Jonathan explains more about his work in the USA in videos here:

Video – career.

Video – Indian reservations and shootings in Atlanta.

Savoy Ventures Limited is a private company providing patient transport and transfer services to NHS Trusts in the South East of England. Established in 2006, Savoy makes more than 240,000 patient transfer journeys a year. Savoy Ventures Limited is engaged by a number of NHS Trusts to carry out blue-light transfers, specialist wheelchair, incubator, bariatric chair or stretcher transport, notes/X-ray transfer, and movement of tissue between hospitals. Many staff are trained and qualified to Ambulance Technician level.

Ends

Further information:

Iain Macauley

im@pressrelations.co.uk

07788 978800

www.savoyventures.com