Page 12 - Issue 77 Online

COMMUNITY FIRST

RESPONDERS

What is a CFR, and what do delivered through a blend of on-line e-learning
they do? and face-to-face learning, with assessments
at the end of the course. There is also regular
learning and assessments as a CFR, some of
Community first responders (CFRs) are this is face-to-face and some is e-learning
volunteers who are trained by the East of delivered on-line.
England Ambulance Service to attend certain
types of emergency calls in the area where they Who are the CFRs?
live or work. Our aim is to reach potentially life-
threatening emergencies in the vital minutes We currently have three qualified CFRs in the
before an ambulance crew arrives. Our role village who share two responder kits, meaning
is to help stabilise the patient and provide the
appropriate care until the more highly
skilled ambulance crew arrives on scene
to take over the treatment. We often
remain on scene to help ambulance
crews with their work before supporting
them with relaying the patient to the
ambulance.
The types of calls we are typically
dispatched to are children aged from 2-8
years with life-threatening emergencies
only, and those aged 8 years+ with
breathing difficulties, cardiac arrest,
chest pains, injured/uninjured falls,
seizures, and unconsciousness etc.
Training

Before attending CFR training, we are required we can have two CFRs logged on at any one
to have read the CFR coursebook (bible), as time responding to separate incidents. Lisa
well as completing the mandatory sections Eves is the longest serving CFR in the village
of e-learning, which takes approximately having been qualified for almost 5 years. Andy
one week. CFRs then undertake a nationally Shippam is the newest CFR in the team who has
recognised, intensive six-day training course been qualified for 10 months. Ben Lavender is
which is either delivered over three weekdays the CFR co-ordinator who has been qualified for
per-week over two weeks, or two weekend 3.5 years.
days per-week over three weekends. This is

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