Stonesfield Parish Council would really like to see us have a community responder in our rural village. Would you be interested in becoming one? Please read on for further information from South Central Ambulance Service.
Community and Co-Responders – South Central Ambulance Service
Be a real lifesaver for your community if you are physically fit, have access to a vehicle and want to make a life-saving difference to your community, why not think about becoming a community responder? You’ll need to be able to give a minimum commitment of 20 on call hours a month and all training and support will be provided.
Become a Community First Responder
If you want to be able to help us in emergency situations, then become a Volunteer Community First Responder. You will be trained by SCAS to be able calmly and professionally to deal with medical emergencies, providing sometimes life-saving first aid to a patient in the crucial minutes before an ambulance arrives. Once the ambulance arrives, you will continue to support the SCAS staff treating the patient.
After attending an initial five-day training course (spread over a couple of weekends and evenings) and an annual 1 day refresher course, the commitment we ask of you is to make yourself available at least 20 hours each month. You can choose the times to fit around your other commitments and you ‘respond’ from home or perhaps your workplace.
We will provide you with all the training, equipment and support you need to do something amazing for your community: become a real lifesaver.
The CFR role
We have Community First Responder (CFR) Schemes across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire and Oxfordshire, in both urban and rural areas. Our CFRs are trained to deliver life-saving skills such as the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED), basic airway management and oxygen therapy, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR – and we always need new recruits.
Because CFRs only respond to emergencies in the area where they live or work, they can arrive at the scene shortly before an ambulance gets there. By being able to start life-saving medical treatment earlier, CFRs really do help save more lives.
The types of emergencies you might attend
You will only be sent to 999 emergency calls we receive during the hours you have agreed to provide emergency cover, if you have had the relevant training and if the incident is local to you (usually within three to five miles). You will be trained to help in cases of:
Cardiac arrest
Heart attack
Stroke
Choking
Diabetic emergencies
Serious injuries (though not road traffic collisions)
Breathing difficulties
Patients suffering a seizure
Chest pains
Unconscious patients
Traumatic injuries
Want to know more?
Ready to apply? Call us on 01962 898090 or email cfr for an application pack
Do you work in the military or for another 999 service?
SCAS works in partnership with other emergency services and the military to provide Co-Responders who volunteer and undertake training to be able to support people in their community. Our military co-responders in particular spend significant time, voluntarily raising funds to provide vehicles and equipment that can be used within their local communities. We have Co Responding schemes in all four counties of SCAS and continue to work with our partners to enhance the models of care to our patients. To find out more about Co-Responding contact 01962 898090
St Johns Ambulance also have a first responder programme: https://www.sja.org.uk/get-involved/volunteer-opportunities/community-first-responders/
Karen East
Parish Clerk