Imagine a driver trapped in a car after a high-speed motorway crash, bleeding heavily. A child in a rural village struggling for breath after a severe allergic reaction. A runner collapsing mid-race as their heart suddenly stops. A victim of a violent assault needing urgent intervention to survive.
A few minutes without oxygen, without a heartbeat, or without stopping severe bleeding can mean the difference between life and death. That’s why the quick, advanced medical care EMICS provides is absolutely vital.
In 2024, EMICS volunteers dedicated 12,000 hours on standby—ready to provide life-saving care when it’s needed most. That’s 1,000 hours every month, or the equivalent of nearly five years of full-time work.
Our medical teams were there when it mattered most: Throughout 2024 EMICS doctors performed emergency roadside surgeries, restarted hearts, and offered some families the chance to say their goodbyes. Responding across Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Lincolnshire, and Northamptonshire.
Our team attended 954 life-threatening “red” calls—an average of three emergencies every day.
- 30% of these calls were attended using our EMICS Fast Response Vehicle.
- In 1 in 5 cases, EMICS was the first medical team to arrive on the scene.
EMICS in action
In 2024, we responded to a wide range of emergencies, including:
- Cardiac arrest: 296 cases
- Road traffic collisions: 220 cases
- Assaults: 14 cases
- Burns/Explosions: 12 cases
- Drowning: 7 cases
- Falls from height: 61 cases
- Hangings: 28 cases
The most common emergency we responded to was cardiac arrest. Without immediate CPR and defibrillation, the survival rate is low. But thanks to the expertise of our responders, many patients received a second chance at life.
One of our patients, who suffered a cardiac arrest while running the Leicester 10k, shared their experience:
“I’m one of the lucky ones—only about 8% of people survive something like this. I’m so thankful to EMICS. It’s not just the people on the scene but also the medical team who were called in on a Sunday to perform the procedure. I wouldn’t have even made it to hospital without the EMICS doctor’s medical help—he saved my life.”
The people behind EMICS
In 2024, our team was made up of 24 dedicated medical professionals, including:
- Consultants in Emergency Medicine – doctors with years of experience treating critically ill patients.
- Specialist Registrars in Anaesthesia – experts in advanced airway management and pain relief.
- Advanced Paramedics – highly trained professionals capable of performing complex medical procedures outside the hospital.
- General Practitioners (GPs) – doctors who have specialised training in pre-hospital advanced medical care.
These professionals provide essential medical care wherever it’s needed, whether on the roadside, in homes, or in remote areas where help might not otherwise arrive for a long time.
One of our doctors shared their perspective on pre-hospital emergency care:
“Volunteering for EMICS and responding to an emergency is a completely different experience compared to working in a hospital. In a hospital, you have all the equipment, colleagues, and support you need. But when treating a patient at the scene, you’re not in a controlled environment—you don’t have a sterile setting, and you’re often battling the unpredictable British weather. You only have the equipment in the vehicle and your medical skills to rely on.”
The cost of saving lives
At EMICS, it costs approximately £100 to treat each patient, and providing this level of care requires significant resources. In 2024, it cost around £100,000 to keep our services running smoothly. Key expenses included:
- £8,713 for drugs and medical supplies
- £4,753 for equipment repairs and maintenance
- £3,776 for equipment licenses and IT support
- £5,737 for running our Fast Response Vehicle
Unlike government-funded emergency services, EMICS is a charity that relies on donations, fundraising, and volunteers to continue our life-saving work. Every contribution—big or small—helps us genuinely have the resources to save lives.
Looking ahead to 2025
As we enter 2025, our mission remains unchanged: to save lives, provide expert medical care, and support our communities in times of crisis.
But we can’t do it alone. Your support—whether through donations, volunteering, or simply spreading awareness—makes all the difference.
Thank you to our incredible volunteers and supporters. Because of you, we will continue to make a life-saving impact every single day.
Donate today: https://emics.org.uk/donate
