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What is a First Responder? |
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Why do we need First Responders? |
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How will a First Responder be trained? |
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How are First Responders organised? |
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But how does the First Responder get
to the patient? |
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What happens after the incident? |
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What about the cost of all this? |
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But who will have the time to do this? |
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What if a mistake is made? |
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How do I get involved? |
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The re-launch of the First
Responder scheme in the university in October 2006 |
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First Responder is a volunteer
within the university (staff or student) who agrees to undertake
training in order to be able to provide life saving treatment to
those people within the university who are critically
injured or ill in the few minutes prior to the arrival of an ambulance.
He or she commits to being available to provide emergency medical
cover, with a partner, at a set time each week, usually in a 4-hour
block, for example every Friday from 9am to 1pm. |
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We know that in many medical emergencies and after
accidents, people can die within the first few minutes. We also
know that if certain simple but critical interventions can be performed
within those first few minutes that life can be saved and disability
reduced. This is especially the case for heart attacks, choking
and injuries that have caused someone to lose consciousness.
Even the best ambulance service in
the world cannot always get to every 999 call within the first few
minutes, especially in countryside areas or
large commercial complexes or at times when the ambulance service
is being heavily used. There is a period of time between the
999 call being made and the ambulance arriving in which little or
no emergency care takes place. This time period has been called
the 'therapeutic vacuum'. We know that First Responders
can fill this vacuum and provide essential simple treatment in those
crucial first few minutes.
In recent years, advances in technology have been
made, and many interventions which were previously performed only
by highly trained individuals are now available to people with much
less training. These include small, easy to operate 'automated external defibrillators'
(AEDs) and lightweight oxygen delivery systems.
With the right training, equipment
and support, First Responders can work alongside the
Ambulance Service and provide the best pre-hospital care that is
possible. The Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust provides the organisational framework within
which volunteers in the community can be trained and equipped to
become First Responders.
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| The Welsh
Ambulance Services NHS Trust will provide, free of charge, detailed
First Responder training which will
cover all the skills and knowledge that a First Responder
will need. This training will be provided by experienced paramedic trainers
and will reflect the best of current first aid and emergency care
practice in the UK. Each First Responder may have to prove
that they are up to the standard by completing written and practical
tests at the end of the training and will need to undergo medical
and criminal records bureau (CRB) checks. They will also undergo refresher
training at least once a year. |
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The Swansea University scheme is a locally
managed group of volunteers from staff and student ranks. A co-ordinator
maintains the rota, liaises between volunteers and acts as the link
between the scheme and the ambulance service. The volunteers provide
life-threatening medical cover on the Singleton Campus between 9 am
and 5 pm Monday to Friday.
The ambulance service keeps
in close contact with the local co-ordinator and provides training, equipment and administrative
support. Volunteers in the scheme normally
communicate with each other via e-mail or by phone. They also have their own web
site on which an
up-to-date 'on-call' rota as well as other useful information can be accessed at any time. It's therefore
essential, for all volunteers to have web access. |
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Whenever the Ambulance Service receives a 999
call from the University which indicates a situation that is considered
immediately life threatening, the First Responders
currently 'on call' will
be contacted directly. The 999 caller will be told that the First
Responders are on their way and that they will also be backed up
by an ambulance as soon as possible.
The First Responders
cover in pairs, one of each pair holding a dedicated mobile phone.
When the ambulance service receives a 999 call from the university
campus and determines that a First Responder is required they ring
the duty First Responder on the mobile phone and give details about
the casualty, i.e. location, sex, age and symptoms. The Responder then
contacts his or her partner's phone extension or personal mobile phone and
passes on the information. Then they immediately make their way to
the scene on foot.
Three fully equipped medical bags are
strategically placed around the university in locked cabinets and
one will be picked up on route to the scene. On arrival, the First
Responders will have all the training and equipment necessary to
manage the patient in those first few critical minutes before the
ambulance arrives. In many cases, the First Responders
may not actually be required to do anything other than reassure
the patient and make sure that the ambulance is able to find the
location. In some circumstances however, we believe that the Community
First Responders may save life. This may be as a result of simple
airway opening manoeuvres, defibrillation or treating choking.
The Community
First Responders will always be
backed up by an ambulance.
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An important aspect of any First Responder
scheme is support for the volunteers and analysis of the
impact of the scheme in the community or workplace. There may be times when despite
all our efforts, a patient dies or has already died before help arrives.
This can be distressing for everyone involved and
the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust
has many years of experience in helping people deal with these
experiences. They recognise that dealing with an emergency situation can be stressful,
especially if the patient is known to the First Responders.
There will always be someone who can talk through the incidents and
the emotions they evoke.
At each incident, the
First Responders will
record information about the interventions they performed and their
effects. Critical information such as the times the Community
First Responders mobilised and arrived at the scene, and the actions
they took, are recorded by Ambulance Control. All of this
information will be analysed by The Welsh Ambulance Services NHS
Trust to ensure that they are providing the best possible service to
the community.
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The Welsh Ambulance
Services NHS Trust channelled
some funds towards the setting up the Community First Responder
Schemes in Wales and providing equipment and training. In addition,
the British Heart Foundation supplied
our first automated external defibrillator. The Senior Management
Team of the university and the Safety Office have provided
additional funding for equipment since the scheme started in July
2001. Some schemes have not been so
lucky and have had to raise the necessary funds to buy their own
equipment.
It costs approximately £5000 to train and equip a group of
volunteers in a scheme and there are
already more than 100 First Responder schemes involving around 1500
volunteers across Wales.
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Swansea University First Responders received 28 calls between 1 March
2007 and 1 March 2008. The
hardest part about being a Community First Responder is being
available and prepared to go when one of those calls comes in. On-call
duties are usually arranged
in blocks of 4 consecutive hours, usually at the same time each week,
e.g. Thursday morning 9 am to 1 pm (see the
online rota). This time commitment
is not onerous. Remember - that call may be a life saved and there
is no greater feeling than being responsible for having saved life. |
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| The nature of
the First Responder scheme is that volunteers are trained
in simple and safe techniques which can be used to save life. These
techniques are rarely, if ever, associated with causing harm and in
true life and death situations, there is often little harm that can be
done compared to doing nothing at all. All First Responders
are trained to a high standard and will be expected to operate within
a code of practice. There has never been a case of a volunteer First
Responder being sued for alleged mistakes during attempts to save
life. |
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How do I get
involved? |
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If you work or study in Swansea University
and you feel you'd like to become a First Responder
please
e-mail
Jerry Collins, our co-ordinator or phone him on
ext. 5105.
Have a chat with him or leave him your contact details
and he'll get back to you.
Further information can be found by
downloading the
Community First Responders staff information bulletin (PDF file).
We are always looking for more volunteers in the
university
so if you feel you'd like to help please get in touch! |
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Last updated on:
17/02/2009 16:32 |
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