Community news

New-build site manager turns firefighter to help Tewkesbury ambulance crews battle Covid-19

- 24 Apr 20

A new-build site manager from Tewkesbury is helping to free-up ambulance workers so that they can focus on life-critical calls, during his volunteer work as an on-call firefighter.

Tim McVicker, a site manager at Bovis Homes – part of the newly-formed Vistry Group – is set to drive ambulances around the county to co-respond and transfer patients to support South Western Ambulance Service staff.

The Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service (GFRS) crew manager, who has been based at Tewkesbury Community Fire and Rescue Station for 14 years, is also delivering PPE and food as he works 120 hours a week.

Tim, who joined Bovis Homes 18 months ago, said: “All of us at GFRS are giving more hours during Coronavirus. We have been tasked to deliver PPE to health care professionals, food parcels to the vulnerable and be able to crew two ambulances from South Western Ambulance Service and other stations as they respond to medical emergencies. We are working alongside paramedics and helping to transfer patients, which can free up their crews for more life-critical calls.

“You do it knowing that you give something to your community and when the alert sounds you get to the station and we make a difference to somebody’s call for help, be it fire, a medical emergency, flooding or road traffic collision.

“My wife is very understanding and, in a way, she is on-call as well, as I do get called away from my family at the drop of a hat, be it at dinnertimes or when bathing the kids. There is never a dull moment in the McVicker household!”

GFRS’ new focus is on top of its day-to-day work. Tewkesbury is a two-pump station with water rescue capability as the River Severn and Avon meet there.

Tim, who works at Bovis Homes’ Filton location, is married to Kath and they have four children, Bethan, 21, Charlie, 19, Maximus, 3 and Amelia, six months.