Could you save a life?

Cattistock and Maiden Newton have a Community First Responders scheme; we have two complete sets of medical response equipment, including defibrillators, so that we can operate from both villages easily. What we are lacking are volunteer responders.

What is a Community First Responder Scheme?

A Community First responder Scheme is made up of trained volunteers who attend designated emergency calls received by the ambulance service. They are of particular benefit to rural communities which the emergency services often struggle to reach quickly. A patient who suffers a cardiac arrest stands an 85% chance of survival if they are defibrillated immediately. These odds decrease by 10% with every minute that passes without treatment. Having trained volunteers on hand within the local community is therefore vital as they can be on the scene in a few minutes. The First Responder provides life support until an emergency ambulance response arrives.

First Responder Training

First Responders are trained in the following subjects:

• Basic life support
• Defibrillation
• Oxygen therapy
• Basic first aid
• The unconscious patient
• Dealing with medical emergencies

Time Commitment

Ideally a First Responder should be living or working in the community where the scheme is running and be able to be ‘on duty’ for a set period of time – perhaps half a day or day a week.  It is always possible to log on or off duty and it is important to remember that being on duty does not prevent you from getting on with your life as long as you are able to respond quickly in an emergency.

Any Questions?

If you would like to know more about the scheme, please contact Julian English: T: 01300 320028 or email here.

Julian helped set up the scheme four years ago and believe it provides immense reassurance to all residents.