VIENTIANE RESCUE

Set up in 2010, Vientiane Rescue is the first volunteer-led emergency response service with four stations in the capital of Laos. It has expanded into three more cities, Pakse, Vang Vieng and Xieng Khouang.

French paramedic and former firefighter Sébastien Perret along with local volunteers, mostly students, saw the need for the service as accident victims were being left to die on the roadside. Besides road accidents, it also responds to fires, water-bound accidents. They have kept their services free, as many people cannot afford private ambulances.

So far, Vientiane Rescue has depended on the kindness of private donors to keep the service running, which costs about US$5,000 each month. To date, volunteers have saved more than 60,000 people.

You can see the full multimedia on Our Better World’s website.