The Boscastle Community First Responders team,
from left:
Frances Hegarty, Malcolm Green, Rose Martin and Liz Green
The 1st Responders, who aim to respond to emergency
calls within 9 minutes, and are fully trained to give lifesaving treatment
and reassurance until the ambulance crew arrive, are currently fundraising,
to purchase equipment. They have a target of £3000; so far they have raised
£1700, and have bought a pulse oxometer, to measure the fluctuating signals
caused by blood flow.
Training to become a 1st Responder is free, and if you can give some time
to assist them, either by becoming a volunteer or by raising money, please
call Rose Martin on 01840 250100.
Autumn 2005 Boscastle Blowhole Page 9
Boscastle community First Responders went live on the 1st May 2005 and
have attended
several emergency 999 calls in and around the Boscastle area.
How can I become a Community First Responder
If you are over 18 years of age with a clean
driving licence and a sympathetic and caring approach to people, physically
fit and able to work as part of a team, we would like to hear from you.
Please contact: -
The Responder manager 01872 262182
Or contact any of the Boscastle team. (left)
What is the Boscastle Community First Responder Scheme?
The Boscastle Community First Responder scheme is
made up of volunteers who live in and around Boscastle. They have all been
trained by Westcountry Ambulance Service NHS Trust in Basic Life Support,
Defibrillation and the care of critically ill or unconscious patients.
They will be called by Ambulance Control to attend Emergency calls in the
Boscastle area which are potentially life-threatening. They will provide the
appropriate treatment for that patient until the arrival of an Ambulance,
Rapid Response Car or Helicopter
Why do we need Community First Responders?
Dr. Richard Cummings of Seattle, USA, discovered that if a series of
events took place in a set sequence, a patient suffering a cardiac arrest
following a Heart Attack stood a much greater chance of survival.
These events are known as the 'Chain of survival'
When the first three links of the 'Chain of
Survival' are put into practice by a Community First Responder, it has been
shown that the survival rate following an out of hospital cardiac arrest can
be improved to. . between 25% to 40%.
The Community First Responders are not a
replacement for the Ambulance Service but do provide a valuable extra
resource for the Boscastle area.
Who pays for the scheme?
The team members are all volunteers and use their
own vehicles to respond in. They are unpaid and do not receive any expenses.
The equipment costs £3,500 and each group is
encouraged to do some fund raising. Any monies raised go into a central fund
to provide equipment and training for the next village responder scheme and
also to provide replacement equipment and training for the schemes already
in existence.
How much training do Responders get?
All Community First Responders receive training
over four days and are then assessed by an independent examiner. If
successful, the responder will spend some shifts with Ambulance crews to
consolidate their knowledge.
Every month the members meet and are able to
discuss any training needs that have been identified, they are able to
arrange training as a group or on an individual basis.
Every three months, each member of the group has to
re-qualify so their skills are constantly up to date and refreshed.
Spring 2005 Boscastle Blowhole Page
17
Our aim is to respond within 9 minutes of an
initial 999 call being deployed and we are fully trained to give life saving
treatment and reassurance until the ambulance crew arrives on scene.
At present we are operating 7 days a week, single manning each shift. It is
hoped in the near future to give a full 24 hour coverage, but more
volunteers are urgently needed.
Funding is also of paramount importance. Contacts or
email
Westcountry Ambulance Services NHS Trust
covers an area of more than 15,000 square kilometres of coastline. With a
population of over 2 million, which can double in the summer holiday season,
the demand on ambulance services continues to increase.
A patient who suffers cardiac arrest stands an 85% chance of survival if
they are defibrillated immediately. These odds decrease by 10% with every
minute that passes without treatment.
Boscastle First Response Team is made up of volunteers who have been
trained to attend designated emergency calls in areas that are difficult to
reach by ambulance within 8 minutes.
First Responders provide vital life support and defibrillation until an
ambulance arrives.
Important:
Would you please ensure that house names and numbers are clearly
visible outside the front of your property as this could save precious time
in our response and that of the ambulance crews.
If anyone has any spare time, however small, questions, ideas or
feedback, please do not hesitate to contact the following responders:
Rose Martin 01840 250 I 00
Liz Green 07800 728232
Malcolm Green 01840 250525
Frances Hegarty 07790 651061
Keep on the look out for future fund raising events.
We are here to help save lives.
Page 40 Boscastle Blowhole Summer
2005
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