Original article on: The Edinburgh Reporter
It is International Paramedics Day on Saturday 8 July and The Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) is sharing stories of some of their staff to say thank you to them.
Paramedics are the skilled frontline staff driving and staffing the ambulances serving everyone in Scotland.
Paul Bassett, Deputy Chief Executive of the Scottish Ambulance Service said: “International Paramedics Day is a fantastic way for ambulance services across the UK to come together and sing the praises of all of our dedicated and hardworking staff.
“We want to celebrate our paramedics, technicians and volunteers, as well as the call handlers and dispatchers, who are absolutely integral to bringing care to patients across Scotland. It’s a difficult, emotionally and physically demanding job, but it’s also incredibly rewarding, and we are so appreciative of all that you do.”
Kimberley Davies, a paramedic in Dalkeith said: “I enjoy helping and seeing different people every day from babies to the elderly and being able to make a difference in someone’s life. The most challenging thing is being away from home for long hours, but we make up for it on days off. It’s surprising how much your day can vary, from general transfers to emergency calls.”
SAS employs more than 5,000 members of staff providing an emergency ambulance service to more than 5 million people in Scotland, responding to around 1.5 million calls each year.