SERV about to become much more popular?

[szymon]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-20511424

the Department for Transport consults on allowing speed limit exemptions to be extended to services beyond the police, fire and ambulance services […] The government wants more vehicles to be able to drive above the speed limit where lives are at risk […] “It is only right that we look at allowing other services whose duties can mean the difference between life and death to exceed the speed limit when responding to emergencies” […] Others that could be allowed to break the speed limit include […] the Blood Transfusion Service

Legal high speed riding as an incentive to volunteering your time to deliver blood? Awesome

-simon

[SimoninEssex]

I read that and thought exactly the same. In fact, I may just rip out someone’s organs and stick em in my topbox when I’m commuting…

[CurlyAlly]

I am a SERV rider and it never fails to astonish me how ignorant drivers can be despite me being fully kitted up in my dayglo uniform with a couple of big red boxes on the back. Being able to travel faster would certainly be helpful - it’s quite stressful waiting at traffic lights when you know there is someone bleeding to death, but even if this goes ahaead it is likely to only be on fully liveried SERV bikes, for which you have to have been a member for at least a year and have your IAM to be able to ride. You’d also have to be happy to base yourself from their cubby hole in New Malden, which is not very inviting or hygienic to say the least. So don’t get too excited just yet!

[Kevsta]

I think you’ll find that doesn’t cover SERV.

I believe that would be for the National Blood Service who are already allowed Blue lights and sirens.

[Tom88]

How about me being in the RAF? Can I get away with speeding?

Sorry officer, it’s a matter of national security. Russian bears are in our airspace again!!!

[Serrisan]

That statement would have the officer thinking you’re on a different kind of speed alltogether

Tom_Matthews88 (28/11/2012)

How about me being in the RAF? Can I get away with speeding?

Sorry officer, it’s a matter of national security. Russian bears are in our airspace again!!!

[Tom88]

A bear is a Russian bomber by the way. Not the grizzly type :laugh:

[nivag]

Tom_Matthews88 (28/11/2012)

A bear is a Russian bomber by the way. Not the grizzly type :laugh:

I just read bears in space and thought, I’d watch that :w00t:

[ScottyUK]

I didn’t think SERV were used to take emergency supplies i.e. when someone’s bleeding to death?

[CurlyAlly]

ScottyUK (29/11/2012)

I didn’t think SERV were used to take emergency supplies i.e. when someone’s bleeding to death?

We certainly are - had three ‘bleeders’ at St. Thomas’s last Thursday night - all had been in surgery earlier in the day - a couple were heart surgery patients. Did first delivery at 2 am, they needed more by 4am.

A few weeks before I had to deliver for a guy who had been stabbed, but unfortunately he died before I even got to Tooting to pick up the blood, his injuries were too severe. Of course we get a lot of non-emergency calls eg. I will regularly do a 5am run with irradiated blood for paedatric heart surgery happening at 8am - babies need it that way and it has to be really fresh.

What we’re not there to do is to replenish their stock - that’s what the daytime standard service is for.

When you are dragged out of bed having only had a couple of hours sleep I am initially rather grumpy to say the least - then I remember - someone is having a worse day than me…

[RobC]

Tom_Matthews88 (28/11/2012)

How about me being in the RAF? Can I get away with speeding?

Sorry officer, it’s a matter of national security. Russian bears are in our airspace again!!!

I’ve got away with it in the past, just flashed my id card and been told to be more observant in future.

Also, SERV is not linked to the National Blood Transfusion Service in any shape or form. SERV volunteer riders do carry ‘time critical’ items including blood products and some also carry urgently needed breast milk for new born babies. In short, you’d be suprised what SERV riders carry.

[szymon]

CurlyAlly (29/11/2012)

ScottyUK (29/11/2012)

I didn’t think SERV were used to take emergency supplies i.e. when someone’s bleeding to death?

We certainly are - had three ‘bleeders’ at St. Thomas’s last Thursday night - all had been in surgery earlier in the day - a couple were heart surgery patients. Did first delivery at 2 am, they need more by 4am.

A few weeks before I had to deliver for a guy who had been stabbed, but unfortunately he died before I even got to Tooting to pick up the blood, his injuries were too severe. Of course we get a lot of non-emergency calls eg. I will regularly do a 5am run with irradiated blood for paedatric heart surgery happening at 8am - babies need it that way and it has to be really fresh.

Indeed. My wife told me a while back about a guy turning up on a motorcycle in the middle of the night to deliver blood when her patient had a massive haemorrhage on the operating table and they simply ran out of the right kind of blood. Apparently the guy got there super fast and without him the lady would likely have not survived. These guys save lives.

[TimR]

Asaid by kev This will not apply to SERV as even though we are a recognised form of transfer we are not a part of the NBS . Although some areas and different factors of Bloodrunners use Bluelights etc … it is all still within a large grey area of use ( non speeding, some operate a non cross of a red light policy)

And if that is the only draw of joining is to get to ride on blues and twos … rather than helping save peoples lives or making one hell of a difference says a lot really

SERV Surrey and South London are still needing members … Not only for The Night time cover but now also there are Breast Milk Runs as well as other sample runs during the daytime all which are vital to patient treatment and welfare.

And with the cold weather starting it is also needing members with four wheels to help out as below 2 deg c it is not possible to transport some of the products via bike .

So

Can YOU help.