Campaign to recruit new first responders

First responders are needed to cover East and West Ayton, Wykeham, Hutton Buscel, Seamer, Crossgates, Eastfield, Cayton, Burniston, Cloughton and Ravenscar.

Local CFRs give up time voluntarily, are trained by Yorkshire Ambulance Service (YAS), and attend certain emergencies, including cardiac arrests, heart attacks, chest pains, strokes, breathing and asthma problems, diabetic emergencies, seizures, choking, allergic reactions and falls.

The CFRs carry a defibrillator, oxygen, and equipment to provide initial basic life support, and are trained to carry out on-scene patient assessment, and record information, to pass to the ambulance crew, on their arrival.

CFRs primarily cover local communities, attending incidents in people’s homes, workplaces, schools, and at shops, restaurants, hotels, care homes, and on some occasions, in public places.

The CFR role was originally conceived to attend cardiac arrests, and provide CPR (cardio pulmonary resuscitation) in the first few critical minutes after an arrest and the remit has widened over the years.

A spokesman said: “We all hope we never need an ambulance in an emergency. But if we do, everyone wants the fastest possible response.

“Generally, an ambulance crew will arrive first, to assist with your emergency.

“On other occasions, a Volunteer Community First Responder (CFR) will reach you first, if the CFR is the nearest available person.

“The CFR will support the patient until an ambulance crew arrives.

One CFR said: “Where we are close by, we can be on the scene within minutes.

“Once we are on scene, we provide initial support, and gather information about the patient; we can support them if their condition deteriorates.”

○ Anyone interested in exploring a CFR role, can look at www.communityresponders.yas.nhs.uk, or send an email to [email protected] or contact Yorkshire Ambulance Service on 0333 130 0516.