VOLUNTEER first aid workers have an extra emergency vehicle for their service after the Port of Felixstowe donated one of its ambulances.The port's health, safety and emergency services division has given the vehicle to the St John Ambulance.

VOLUNTEER first aid workers have an extra emergency vehicle for their service after the Port of Felixstowe donated one of its ambulances.

The port's health, safety and emergency services division has given the vehicle to the St John Ambulance.

Workers at the container terminal took delivery of a brand new Mercedes Sprinter ambulance earlier this year and so decided to give away their 1990 Ford Transit Customline ambulance.

Jeff Hurst, chief of fire and safety for the port, said the vehicle was in excellent condition, with a low mileage, having done only 40,000 miles.

He said: "We have long been associated with St. John through our emergency services department, and many of our employees belong to that organisation. "We hope that St. John will get useful service from the ambulance, which has served the port well over the years, and we are pleased that it will continue to be used to help others."

St. John Ambulance intends to use the vehicle as an operational support unit, which will carry additional equipment, such as bulk first aid supplies, as well as providing secure storage for its members' personal effects while on duty.

Based in Ipswich, but able to be used all over the county, the vehicle will also provide St John with major incident support, carrying items such as spare radios, incident control and documentation.

In addition, it will give St John a highly visible forward control point, with back-up radio communications facilities to its first aiders and ambulance crews, and to the East Anglian Ambulance Trust (EAAT) control in Hellesdon.

Nigel Scarlott, assistant commissioner (operations) for St John Ambulance, and an IT technician at the port, said: "St John Ambulance is very grateful to the Port of Felixstowe for its generosity.

"The new vehicle will give us greater resources and flexibility in meeting our ever-increasing role, both at large events, and in support of the EAAT."

The port's two ambulances will continue to provide a vital lifeline to the community, working within the port and dealing with numerous other emergency calls in and around Felixstowe.

So far this year, the port's ambulances, which are fully equipped to NHS standards, have responded to 313 emergency calls outside the port.

The port employs sixteen full-time firefighter/ambulancemen. They are all trained to county emergency standards in both fire fighting and ambulance technician/paramedic skills.