Volunteers with St John Ambulance in Derry are preparing to provide emergency medical cover at the city's upcoming Halloween celebrations.

Denis McLaughlin, assistant unit manager and event lead, said planning for Halloween begins about two months ahead of the event. "We work very closely with Derry City and Strabane District Council for every event, especially Halloween," he said. "It comes down to where we want our teams on the days and how many people we need out to safely run and manage the event."

The organisation will have three or four ambulances in operation each day during Halloween. St John Ambulance has four emergency ambulances and two rapid response vehicles at its Skeoge Industrial Estate hub.

This year, St John Ambulance volunteers have provided medical cover at around 70 events across Northern Ireland, including the North West 200, Derry City and Strabane District Council events, the Waterside Half Marathon, and the Fleadh.

McLaughlin, who joined St John Ambulance at age 18 and is now a computer science graduate from Ulster University's Magee campus, said the charity offers experience for people considering healthcare careers. "We have a lot of people who come here to get experience before going on to become doctors, nurses or paramedics," he said.

Volunteer Ethan joined St John Ambulance after witnessing a cardiac arrest in a park and helping alongside ambulance crews. He said the experience inspired him to join the organisation and he is now studying for a degree in paramedic science.

Chris Gallagher, who has been with St John Ambulance for 14 years, joined with the aim of becoming an emergency medical technician and eventually a paramedic. Patrick Kelly joined a year ago to gain insight into a paramedic career.

McLaughlin said the work can be demanding but rewarding. "We do see a lot and we can be there at emergency calls," he said. "It can be rewarding being there and providing a bit of calm during emergencies."

He praised the volunteer team, saying they are a close group. "It can be demanding, but we're very lucky here. We're a close group of friends, more like a family," he said.

St John Ambulance is a first aid charity that provides emergency medical cover at events across Northern Ireland.