4 replies to this topic

[Hefe Weizen]

I've read the diaries with interest for weeks, so all cliches aside I thought I'd start mine.

Quick History.
1986 - 1999 British Army
2003 - Present Community First Responder for South Central Amulance Service.

Story starts in 1999 when I applied to TVP as a regular Police recruit. Unfortunately failed at the final interview stage. In hindsight I was to under prepared. Being ex-forces I thought I knew all about the poilce and I would just cruise in. Not so! Ironically I did have some friends who were serving officers but still thought I could do it my way!

I licked my wounds for a few years and then looked for something to raise the old adrenaline a bit. Hence the Ambulance service. As a Commnity first responder (CFR), we attend life-threatening 999 calls in advance of an ambulance. I've been at this for about 4 years now. I've done a hundred or so jobs and treated everything from a nose bleed, to several resusuitations and even a collapsed womb!

However the whole ambulance thing is very reactive rather than pro-active. Also the time spent on a job, around 20 minutes or so, leaves me with a sense of being a bit half-hearted. I'm a people person and I like to help others. The whole CFR thing is in, out and wait for the next job. 99.9% of the time we get no feedback or patient outcomes, which isn't why were doing it but it does feel we're only a stop-gap.

Anyway, the whole police thing raised it's head a few months ago, don't know why but I thought why not, they can only say No! I know I can't reapply for the regs but to be honest I've three small children (3, 5 & 7) and my wife's starting her midwifery degree in September so I'm not about to try and start intensive training and shifts etc.

I'm used to the whole volunteering thing and doing evenings, the odd weekend isn't a problem. As a CFR I was generally the guy who did the evenings and nights, so a MI (Heart attack) at 2am wasn't uncommon. I'm just worried that, like responding, I would want to book on shift every spare evening I can. I'm sure that every new special does huge load of hours, plateaus off, then finds what suits them. Time and the whole application thing will tell.

I live in a small town within the TVP area and so will be obviuosly trying to a special there. Just hope it isn't to rural. I've read plenty of forum entires regading the old 'where do I serve' dilemma. I really would want to serve here as it's the whole community thing I'm after. Whilst you're in the forces you're like a nomad, there's nowhere you can call home and it gets dificult to intergrate into the community, but where I live it's great. I love the old 'can't walk 20 paces without meeting someone' senario. As you've guessed I'm not from where I live, I'm originally from Hertfordshire, but I won't let anyone hold it against me.

So enough for now. I'm off out tonight to chew the fat and sup a guinness or two with an Inspector from TVP and see if being a special is all it's up to be and what life is really like as a SC.

I'll keep you guys and gals updated.

Hefe

Edited by Hefe Weizen, 01 July 2007 - 10:35 AM.

[Hefe Weizen]

Went for a beer and found out some interesting stuff.
Still up for it although the time scale from application to end of training seems to be forever. Ho Hum!

I'm still struggling to fill in the hand written boxes, the usual questions, 'Why do you want to be special?' I'm sure that a huge dose of waffle will come out and I'll think of something.

So to the application I go!

Edited by Hefe Weizen, 05 July 2007 - 07:04 PM.

[Hefe Weizen]

Wow! Had Hannah Shellswell and a TV crew from Thames Valley tonight turn up at the house yesterday to do a piece about my first responding. My wife nominated me 2 years ago for 'Volunteer of the year' for the old South Central TV region (Didn't win ) and they wanted to do a follow up piece. My wife now responds so they thought it would be a good idea doing a husband/wife bit. (Yeah I know, really cheesy)

Hannah's georgous and so was distracting me from what we I was supposed to be saying. I won't tell you when it's being screened because I don't you local Oxon/Berks/Bucks/hampshire guys/gals taking the pi**.

Don't know if to tell the guys at work because I'm not sure how they'll edit it for the final piece. Please PM for autographs via the normal channels.

Nearly told her I'm not responding anymore and that I want to be a TVP special instead but I'm not sure how that would have gone down. Still it's all about volunteering!

Hefe

[Hefe Weizen]

The dirty deed has been done. . . . .I've completed my application and tomorrow morning I'm going to stick it in the post.

Nervous? Oh course I am. Lets not be hasty though, I'm under any illusion that'll be a long time before I hear anything.

I reckon the 2 twenty pound notes in the application was a subtle touch.

Well what next. . . .reading up on the law books? Get my ass even fitter? Sit around and forget until I get the next TVP letter on the mat.

Wait and see . . . . . . .

Edited by Hefe Weizen, 13 July 2007 - 09:43 PM.

[Hefe Weizen]

Guess What?

Received a leter yesterday morning from TVP HQ. I got the wife to open it whilst I was on the phone at work and . . .it was . . . .wait for it . . . . .a polite notice telling me I'm still being paper sorted. Yippee! Two months to the day from applicaiton and I'm still being sorted.

Perhaps it's a good thing that I know I'm not rubbish enough to be binned as soon as they opened the envelope. Oh well!

I've read a few threads about TVP recruitment being about as slow an an arthitic sloath on crutches, but two months to just decide if I'm worthy of an interview . . .

How's my motivation? Not too bad! I must admit that I'm surfing PS.Com daily to keep abreast of things etc and keep on track, but to be honest I can see how easy it would be for the interest to wane and then not even bother to persue it further. I remember my initial TVP regular application taking some time but the whole thing was done & dusted in six months.

Told my boss last week and I'm well overdue another job. 6 years where I currently work and I think I've acheived it all. The business is growing every year but our department is stagnating. Perhaps we're to efficient for our own good? Anyway enough of bored ramblings.

TVP Regulars . Mmmmm??? Probably not, as in a few years my wife will be a Midwife and that'll mean shifts, shifts and even some nights! So with three nippers it'll be hard for both of us to be on shift.

The gym's going good although I won't need it for recruitment, but I do remember doing my restraint & arrest instructors course in the army and Oh the sore wrists! I just visualise on my first shift trying to restrain the biggest bloke in big land and not getting anywhere. I know it's all technique Blah Blah! but I generally don't see see weedy police officers about. (Watch my In-box fill with PM's from weedy coppers!)

Enough already.

Feel free to PM me if you have the ultimate motivation tool (probably a software package that superimposes your head on a police officers image? or an ivitation from the CC asking for recruitment advice?) Who knows?