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Gt Blakenham, Barham & Claydon Community First Responders
We are fortunate to have within the community people trained as First Responders working voluntary with the East of England Ambulance NHS Trust.
Since becoming operational on 1st of May 2006, the members of the responder group have attended several hundred emergency medical calls in the Claydon area, after being asked to do so by the ambulance service control centre. The responders have been able to provide a range of first aid measures, from giving reassurance to un-well persons and their families to carrying out basic and advanced life support procedures on non- breathing patients, before the arrival of an ambulance. They have also been able to give valuable assistance to the ambulance crews whilst they were on scene.
A large proportion of people who suffer a heart attack have the potential to survive, if basic life support is received soon enough. The early access to pre-hospital resuscitation, defibrillation and advanced life support treatment is known as the “Chain of Survival”. The aim of the Community First Responder scheme is to provide that early life support treatment by having groups of volunteers who can respond quickly to an emergency call within their community. Responders are equipped with, and trained to use a Defibrillator, Oxygen administration and other medical equipment, so are able to carry out basic and advanced life support procedures until the professional medical services arrive on scene.
Like all responder groups the local Community Responders are part of a self funding charity and rely on the donations and other kinds of support given by local people and organisations. Financial donations from the Claydon & Whitton Parish Council and the Bar-Clay Music Makers have allowed the group to purchase and equip two sets of first aid kit bags with Automated External Defibrillators and Pulse-Oxyimeters, along with a training defibrillator and a resuscitation manikin. The Claydon & Barham Community Trust have recently provided the group with a Satellite Navigation System. The Saxon Shooting Club allows the responder group the free of charge use of their clubhouse, as a venue for their regular training sessions and annual life support skills assessments.
The Blakenham, Barham & Claydon Community Responders would like to thank all those groups and individuals who have supported them in their various ways them, over the past 6 years. “With out your help we would not have been able provide the quick response to the medical emergencies we have been asked to attend and would not have had the equipment to enable us to carry out the necessary life support procedures on the patients”.
If you would like more information about becoming a Community First Responder in the Claydon area please visit the East of England Ambulance service website http://www.eastamb.nhs.uk/who-can-become-a-community-first-responder.htm , or contact Alan Seager on 07766443400 or email alan.seager @virgin.net