Community First Responders needed

03/02/2012 @ 06:20

A call has gone out for volunteers in Newtown and Llanidloes to become community responders with the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust and help save lives.

The ambulance trust has launched a new appeal for members of the community to make a difference for family, friends and neighbours in distress with its appeal to help give others a ‘fighting chance of survival through a life threatening event.’

A simple first aid skill can give someone a fighting chance – that’s what first responders bring to the community with the support of the Welsh Ambulance Service.

All volunteers are trained by the Welsh Ambulance Service. They learn how to administer first aid skills, carry out the recognition of cardiac conditions, cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the use of a defibrillator, in the community and surrounding area in which they live until an ambulance resource reaches the incident to take over.

“Many of our volunteers have taken experiences that life has thrown at them, such as seeing a loved one suffer a heart attack, and have moulded them into a positive outlook to help family, friends and neighbours,” said Welsh Ambulance Service’s first responder officer, Steve Roberts.

“The faster life support skills get to a patient facing a life threatening scenario, the better their outlook is, a prognosis all our Community First Responders are ready and willing to support.”

Steve added: “You can make a big difference by just carrying out a few simple skills that we can teach you. If you are proud of the community in which you live, becoming a first responder can really help the heart of your village or town keeping beating long into the future.”

Community First Responders play an important role alongside frontline ambulance staff in making sure patients receive appropriate help quickly and efficiently, explained Chief Executive at the Welsh Ambulance Service, Elwyn Price-Morris.

“Community First Responders are very much part of the whole Welsh Ambulance Service family. They are a valuable support and I am personally proud to be associated with such a dedicated life saving scheme in Wales,” he said.

“To support, develop and highlight the role of our volunteers, we have produced a new Community First Responders strategy which will be officially launched this Spring. Through this, we hope to continue the good work being done through the scheme and improve upon it in partnership with the Trust’s five year Working Together for Success modernisation plan.”

If you feel you can make a big difference for your community in one of the listed areas please email stephen.roberts3@wales.nhs.uk for an application pack or alternatively log on to www.ambulance.wales.nhs.uk to download a form

Caption: Steve Roberts, Welsh Ambulance Service Community First Responder Officer.