Claire Brown – 10th December 2025 – 10.30am.
A new Coventry Community First Responder (CFR) scheme, made up entirely of medical students, has officially launched at the University of Warwick this week.
The group of 29 volunteer Community First Responders have been trained by West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) using the national Level 3 First Responder On Scene (FROS) syllabus. CFRs are unpaid volunteers who respond, in their spare time, to 999 calls within their local community and provide immediate treatment until an ambulance arrives – for life threatening situations every minute counts to increase the chance of survival.
Anthony Marsh, WMAS Chief Executive Officer, said:
The willingness of the Medical School and students to establish and volunteer for the scheme is what makes the West Midlands such a great place. CFR schemes support and enable the excellent clinical care delivered by WMAS ambulance crews, saving lives and caring for our communities, and is a real cause for celebration.”
The CFR scheme was officially launched at Warwick Medical School on Monday 8th December with a ribbon cutting to unveil the schemes new response car. These volunteers are now responding to 999 emergency calls across Coventry and the surrounding area, providing essential immediate care until an ambulance arrives.
Aidan Johal Baker is a fourth-year medical student at Warwick Medical School and one of the schemes new CFRs. Talking about this new initiative, he said:
Being able to combine our clinical knowledge and leadership skills to provide frontline, life-saving care for our local community is a real privilege. Supported by WMAS protocols and training, we are proud to contribute to emergency care through this CFR scheme.”
Across the West Midlands region, more than 500 Community First Responders operate from numerous local schemes, with Warwick Medical School becoming the latest to go live. In 2024, the Trust’s CFRs attended more than 10,000 emergency 999 calls. Cliff Medlicott, WMAS Community Response Manager, added:
For life threatening situations, like cardiac arrests and significant blood loss, every minute counts to increase the chance of survival. This is where our CFRs are crucial in those first few minutes before an ambulance crew arrive on scene. We are delighted to welcome the Warwick Medical School CFR scheme to the family and look forward to the life-saving care they are sure to provide to patients.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors
The scheme has received generous grants, donations and support from:
- London Electric Vehicle Company (LEVC)
- Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG) High Value Manufacturing Catapult
- Coventry General Charities