COMMUNIT Y
BY SAM FORD
EAST GRINSTEAD
First Responders
Providing crucial support to the ambulance service, this voluntary organisation needs your help. Read on to find out how you could get involved
With some communities in hard to reach areas, it is a well-known fact that the time it takes for an emergency response to arrive may not always be as prompt as the South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb) would like. One solution is the team of local residents who volunteer their spare time, known as Community First Responders (CFR’s), who are ideally located to make a difference whilst the ambulance service response is en route. Serious and life threatening calls are obviously SECAmb’s priority and their efforts are focused on responding as quickly as possible to these. This is where CFR’s can help. They are not intended as substitutes for the ambulance crews, instead to complement the ambulance service in providing prompt responses to calls for help. Being based in the local community where they work or live, enables them to attend an emergency call in perhaps just a few minutes, often being first on scene. They are able to start vital lifesaving first aid at an early
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stage that can further increase the patient’s chance of survival. CFR’s are trained to respond to emergency calls through the 999 system in conjunction with SECAmb. On lower category calls, which aren’t perhaps immediately life threatening, CFR’s are also ideally placed to assist in general patient wellbeing. JOINING YOUR LOCAL GROUP
If you already know first aid, or think you would like to learn, then this could be an ideal opportunity to contribute to your community. East Grinstead and the surrounding
They are able to start vital lifesaving first aid at an early stage that can further increase the patient’s chance of survival villages of Forest Row, Ashurst Wood, Dormansland, Lingfield, West Hoathly and Sharpthorne are in need of CFR’s. Other non-active roles are also needed, such as admin, secretary, finance, web
support etc. HELP THEM ON THEIR WAY
There are active CFR’s in and around the East Grinstead area, you may see them in their red fleeces and T-shirts with the SECAmb and CFR logo. Similarly their cars may sport SECAmb signage. If safe to do so, consider facilitating their journey as they could be on their way to an emergency. Unlike the ambulance service they are not exempt from the road traffic laws, so without blue lights or sirens your help can be essential. FUNDRAISING
SECAmb provide training, but to get a CFR out in the community their kit, including defibrillator, costs in the region of £1200, with uniform and vehicle signage costing extra. If you have ideas to help raise the profile of CFR’s in the community or assist with PR material and fundraising we’d like to hear from you too, we are always supportive of any sponsorship you can offer. To find out more, or register your interest, you can contact your local team or check the linked site to see when the next round of applications are open on the SECAmb website: www.secamb.nhs.uk/get_involved/ become_a_community_responder.aspx. Or visit the East Grinstead First Responders website: www.egfirstresponders.co.uk/
www.sussexliving.com
22/06/2017 12:36