Hornsea Rescue 1st Responders

Hornsea Rescue www.hornsearescue.org.uk

In 2009 Hornsea Inshore Rescue were proud to become the first lifeboat crew in the UK to train as and join the Community First responder scheme. This training and our new equipment provided by Hornsea Lions and the Hornsea Responders has already proved invaluable to our work. We now respond to emergencies on land and at sea for the benefit of the people of and visitors to Hornsea East Yorkshire.

What is a Community First Responder (C.F.R)?

The Community First Responder (CFR) scheme is a partnership between the Yorkshire Ambulance Service (YAS) NHS Trust and local groups of volunteers within their community.

As authourised volunteers for YAS we work as part of a dedicated team of volunteers whose aim is to reduce the number of pre-hospital deaths in Yorkshire.

Why do we have Community First Responders?

YAS is committed to providing the highest standard of pre-hospital patient care to all those living in or passing through their boundaries. It is not always possible, however, to get an emergency vehicle to a patient with a potentially life-threatening condition within the first few vital minutes, particularly if they are situated in an outlying rural area.

In many medical emergencies the first few minutes are critical. If effective treatment can be provided in those first few minutes, lives can be saved and disabilities reduced. This is especially true for heart attacks and medical conditions that have caused someone to lose consciousness.

Community First Responders help save lives!

Community First Responders are trained in basic life support skills, the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED) and to administer oxygen

How does it work?

When an emergency call is received at the YAS 999 Communications Centre, an ambulance response is dispatched. At the same time a Community First Responder, on call in the area, can be alerted and asked to assist at the 999 incident to ensure emergency assistance reaches the patient as quickly as possible.

More than 275,000 people suffer a heart attack in the UK every year, about a third of whom die before reaching hospital due to cardiac arrest. the defibrillators carried by Community First Responders provide early intervention to patients suffering a cardiac arrest which is on of the keys to survival.

How do I become a Community First Responder?

You must be over 18 years of age and in good health. You must have access to a vehicle and hold a full driving licence.

Although Community First Responders join the scheme on a voluntary basis, they will still have to undergo a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check and complete a health declaration questionnaire.

Once you have been accepted as a volunteer you will undergo training from YAS in basic life support (BLS). This includes patient assessment, airway management, defibrillation and Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and oxygen therapy.

Further Information.

For further information about the Community First Responder scheme or to apply to become a volunteer in your area, please contact the YAS Network Response Team:

Tel :0845 120 3155

Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust,

Headquarters

Springhill, Brindley Way, Wakefield 41 Business Park,

Wakefield,

West Yorkshire,

WF2 0XQ