St John Ambulance in Lancashire has adopted a web-based solution which allows it to communicate with volunteers via SMS.

Using a web-based solution from Text Messaging Centre (TMC), unit leaders can contact volunteers and staff quickly in the event of an emergency, resulting in quicker response rates.

Activity peaks during the summer, but the organisation expects to be sending more than 3,000 messages per month on average.

The solution also includes a ‘campaign’ feature, which allows the charity to automate the recruitment of volunteers for specific events.

It sends a request such as ‘reply YES if you are able to attend an event this evening’ and groups volunteers depending on their response.

An automated message is then sent to each respondent advising whether they are required.

The system can also define the required number of volunteers for the event, with all affirmative responses beyond that number held in a ‘reserve group’.

Instant communication

Daniel Geddes, operations coordinator for St John Ambulance Lancashire, explains: “The majority of our unit personnel are volunteers and generally have full-time jobs in addition to St John Ambulance activities; determining their availability therefore is an extensive task.

“SMS offers ease for both staff who require instant communication to recruit volunteers to attend in the event of an incident, and for the volunteers who directly receive the SMS and can respond quickly and at their convenience.”

He adds: “We are continuing to find others uses where SMS can streamline existing processes, such as alerting our paid ambulance crews of their rota and detailing any overtime shifts available.

“Since implementing and operating the text messaging solution we have realised just how valuable SMS is to our organisation, encouraging greater replies, fundamentally improving response times and critically reducing the administrative burden of telephone calls - enabling our organisation to focus on the more important first aid tasks at hand.”