All Cannings First Responders

We are setting-up a voluntary First Responder scheme in All Cannings and the surrounding villages with the assistance and support of the Wiltshire St. John Ambulance and Wiltshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust.

The Neighbourhood First Responder scheme is controlled and managed by the Wiltshire St. John Ambulance and the Wiltshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust. The scheme is not designed to replace the necessity for attendance of the Ambulance Service, but to provide additional medical response in advance of the ambulance arriving on the scene. Seconds count when a critical situation occurs and having locally trained volunteers with skills in basic life support (CPR), oxygen management and the use of an AED defibrillator can save lives and buy precious time until the ambulance crew arrive.

Typically the chance of survival from a Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) reduces by 10% every minute that passes without effective treatment. i.e. 90% chance in survival if treated within 1 minute, 10% chance in survival if treated within 9 minutes (this can effect the young and the elderly). If the correct therapy of “defibrillation” can be delivered to a patient within the first few minutes the chances of survival can be dramatically increased. The typical ambulance response time could be 8-10 minutes?
Locally trained First Responders can perform this simple therapy and save lives!

If you would like to learn more about becoming a First Responder and help make your community heart safe, then please call. We are looking for active and supportive volunteers who will be willing to support the scheme.

For more information please call:

Graham Bird Tel: 01380 862972 or e-mail

Wiltshire St. John Ambulance Service
Tel: 01380-728362
Wiltshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust
Tel: 01249-443939

What is a Neighbourhood First Responder Scheme?
Neighbourhood First Responder Schemes provide volunteers who are trained to attend emergency calls, providing life saving treatment to those people within the local community who are critically injured or ill in the first few minutes prior to the
arrival of an emergency ambulance.

Why do we need the scheme?
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, life can be saved and disability reduced. This is especially true for heart attacks, choking and injuries that have caused someone to lose consciousness. The Wiltshire Ambulance Service is continually looking at ways of improving efficiency and healthcare to the communities it serves and to ensure that it meets the Government set targets. There are always times when an emergency vehicle cannot get to an incident within the first few minutes, particularly in more rural areas. Neighbourhood First Responders provide essential treatment in those first crucial minutes, making the difference between life and death. Thanks to the advances in technology many medical interventions are now more readily available for the layman to administer, following training. These include small, easy to operate automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) and lightweight oxygen delivery systems. Wiltshire Ambulance Service believes that with the right training, equipment and support, Neighbourhood First Responders can work alongside the ambulance service providing the best pre-hospital care possible.

Recruitment:
Using in-house knowledge, the organisation will identify and prioritise areas of the region that would benefit from the introduction of a Neighbourhood First Responder Scheme. Working in partnership with the St John Ambulance with the local community, Wiltshire Ambulance Service will use existing networks and community groups to raise awareness of the scheme, to attract volunteers to assist in the establishment of a local group

The Neighbourhood First Responder is a Volunteer. Volunteers should be:

Aged between 18 and 70
Have a current clean driving license
Be physically fit with a mature outlook on life and have a sympathetic and caring approach to people (volunteers over 65 years of age will be required to undergo an annual health check.)
Volunteers may already have some basic understanding of first aid or perhaps be a member of a voluntary aid society, emergency service or health profession.
Volunteers will need to be flexible and organised on a call-out basis to meet the needs of the first responder scheme and local community.

Training and Assessment
To be a Neighbourhood First Responder the volunteer is required to attend a training course.
This involves a minimum of 21 hours of training in emergency care that culminates in an award recognised by the St John Ambulance and the Wiltshire Ambulance Service and certificated accordingly. Training courses are flexible and can be arranged at times that are mutually convenient for volunteers. (Usually undertaken at weekends). The Training covers the following subjects:
Module 1 Introduction, scene safety, patient assessment, management, basic life support and defibrillation.
Module 2 Medical emergencies including cardiac conditions, diabetic/neurological/respiratory emergencies.
Module 3 Trauma emergencies and preparation for active duty.

Volunteers also receive instruction in:

Risk Assessment; Health & Safety; Patient and scene management; How to respond to a call; How to report untoward incidents or unusual occurrences; Administration; Verbal and written handover to ambulance crews; Consent, confidentiality & right of entry.
At the end of the course there is a written knowledge test and practical assessments. There are informal re-assessments every 90 days and an annual formal assessment, which the volunteer is required to pass.

As part of the training, Neighbourhood First Responders will spend some time observing on an emergency ambulance and with a First Responder, including a visit to the Emergency Operations Centre to gain an appreciation and understanding of the process of receiving and responding to an emergency call.

Wiltshire Ambulance Service and St John Ambulance will supply a full responder kit for each scheme including:
First Responder Bag containing an oxygen cylinder and tubing, assorted oxygen masks, bag/valve/mask, full range of airways, suction gun with disposable canister, dressings, blanket, bags for clinical waste and gloves/disposable eye/face shield.
A fully Automated External Defibrillator with spare pads.
Mobile telephone or pager
Protective clothing in the form of a high visibility waistcoat/jacket plus ID card for presentation upon arrival at an incident.

When the ambulance service receives a 999 call from a community where a scheme is running, which indicates a situation that is considered immediately life threatening, the duty Neighbourhood First Responder will be contacted. The 999 caller will be told that a Neighbourhood First Responder is on the way and that they will be backed up by an ambulance as soon as possible. The Responder will either walk or drive to the scene.
It is anticipated that all incidents will be within 6 minutes traveling time wherever possible.
If driving is involved, it will be under the Highway Code and Neighbourhood First Responders are expected to comply with the law while driving to incidents - at all times.
On arrival, the Neighbourhood First Responder 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 Neighbourhood First Responder 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. However, we know that the Neighbourhood First Responder could save a life, for example, as a result of a simple airway open manoeuvre, defibrillation or treating choking. The Neighbourhood First Responders will always be backed up by an ambulance

What happens after the incident ?
Support for the volunteers and analysis of the impact of the scheme in the community is an extremely important aspect. There may be times when despite all efforts, a patient dies or has already died before help arrives. This can be distressing for everyone involved and the Wiltshire Ambulance Service has experience in helping people to cope with these circumstances. Dealing with emergency situations can be stressful, especially if the patient is known to the Neighbourhood First Responder. There will always be someone who can talk through the incidents and the emotions evoked.
Neighbourhood First Responders will record information about the interventions they performed and their efforts. All of this information will be analysed by the Wiltshire Ambulance Service to ensure that the best possible service is provided to the communities.

What if a mistake is made?
Neighbourhood Community First Responder Schemes ensure that local people are trained in simple and safe techniques that can be used to save life. These techniques are rarely 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 Neighbourhood First Responders are trained to a high standard and will be expected to operate within a code of practice. Neighbourhood First Responders will be indemnified against accidental injury and third party liabilities by Wiltshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust. As agents of the ambulance service, they are insured against any medical errors arising, providing protocols are followed.

A typical local First Responder Scheme is:
• Run by a local co-ordinator
• Equipped and trained by Wiltshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust or in partnership with St John Ambulance
• Organised & flexible to meet the needs of the first responders and local community
• Organised on a call-out rota basis within the local community and has approx 5-10 volunteers