Why RapidMed exists

Priced for festivals, not fetes

Most community events in Suffolk have no proper medical cover. Not because nobody cares — because the big event medical companies are priced for festivals, not fetes.

So a town council, a carnival committee or a charity fun run does one of two things. It asks a volunteer with a first aid certificate to keep an eye on things, or it hopes nothing happens.

Most of the time, nothing does. That is the problem. Nobody finds out the cover was not enough until the day it is needed.

A run of events with no cover at all

There was no single moment. It was a run of local events — fetes, fun days, community gatherings — where I looked around and there was no medical cover in place at all.

I wanted to help the people organising them. Local councils, charities and community groups, so their events are safe and legal, and they know it. It is the same reason I volunteer as a Community First Responder: I want to help.

Ron Carter

• Responding to emergencies since September 2019I live in Leiston.
• FREC 4 Emergency Care AssistantA pre-hospital clinical qualification, not a basic first aid ticket. Registered with HPAC.
• Volunteer Community First ResponderFor the East of England Ambulance Service — when someone near me dials 999 with a medical emergency, I can be sent to them. I train other Community First Responders too.
• The paperwork is done properlyMy day job is in cyber security.

Suffolk first

Today, I cover events myself. Other medics will be brought in for bigger events, with me planning and overseeing the cover — and you still deal with one person, from the first call to the report afterwards.

The business is Suffolk-based, and could grow across East Anglia in time.