What
Are First Responders?
 First
Responders are volunteer members of the community who are trained
to respond to emergency calls through the 999 system in conjunction
with the Ambulance Service. Responders provide immediate care to
patients in rural areas where distance may delay the prompt arrival
of an ambulance. They are trained to deliver Basic Life Support
and defibrillation to patients in Cardiac Arrest and other appropriate
calls including oxygen administration to patients suffering from
a range of conditions.
Why
do we need First Responders?
Because First Responders are based within the community in which
they live or work, they can attend the scene of an emergency in
a very short time, often arriving within the first three or four
minutes. In the case of Misterton First Responders in 98% of
cases we are the first emergency resource to get to the scene, often
arriving within 4 to 5 minutes of the emergency 999 call being made.
The
Community First Responders can then begin vital life saving first
aid before the Ambulance arrives, further increasing the patient's
chance of survival.
In an ideal world, there would be an Ambulance available on every
street corner in each town or in every village. This is not the
case, and is why First Responders can make such a difference in
their communities, especially in rural areas.
The
Chain of Survival
Thirty years ago, it was discovered that if a series of events took
place, in a set sequence, a patient suffering from a heart attack
stood a greater chance of survival. These events are now known as
the 'Chain of Survival'.
We know
that in many medical emergencies and after accidents, people can die
within the first few minutes. We also know that if certain simple
but critical interventions can be performed within those first few
minutes that life can be saved and disability reduced. This is especially
the case for heart attacks, choking and injuries that have caused
someone to lose consciousness.
First
Responders can make a difference
Even the best ambulance service in the world cannot get
to every 999 call within the first few minutes. In fact the East
Midlands Ambulance service gets to most calls very quickly. But
it may not be quickly enough - especially in countryside areas or
large commercial complexes. There is a period of time between the
999 call being made and the ambulance arriving in which little or
no emergency care takes place. This time period has been called
the 'therapeutic vacuum'. We know that community based First Responders
can fill this vacuum and provide essential simple treatment in those
crucial first few minutes before the ambulance arrives.
In
recent years, advances in technology have been made, and many interventions
which were previously performed only by highly trained individuals
are now available to people with much less training. These include
small, easy to operate 'external defibrillators' (AEDs) and lightweight
oxygen delivery systems.
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