Article from the North Walsham Times

A Community First Responder (CFR) group has been set
up in North Walsham and will be covering areas as far
as Banningham, Felmingham, Swanton Abbott as well
as North Walsham.

A CFR scheme is made up of groups of volunteers who, within
the community in which they live or work, have been trained to
attend emergency calls received by the NHS ambulance service,
providing first aid until an emergency ambulance arrives.

When a 999 call is made an ambulance or response vehicle is dispatched
to attend - if appropriate a CFR will also be dispatched. The CFR will
probably arrive first, as they are likely to be closer to the incident than
the ambulance.

The CFR will be able to:

• Clear and maintain the airway of an unconscious patient
• Administer oxygen to patients who are short of breath or
who have chest pain
• Provide resuscitation and defibrillation when required
• Control haemorrhage
• Put the patient at ease
• Take basic observations like pulse and respiratory rate

Where the patient has suffered a cardiac arrest the CFR can provide
vital, rapid defibrillation (an electric shock to the heart), which plays
an essential role in allowing the heart to re establish normal activity.
The quicker the patient receives this treatment the greater the chances
of success, if you can get to a patient in the first 8 minutes you have
a very high chance of saving their lives.

Made up totally of volunteers from the community, whilst the group
works with the Ambulance service, it does not receive any financial
support from the NHS or Ambulance Service, so is a charity and relies
on donations.

If you would like to know more about the
Community First Responder group please contact
James Marks on 01692 409769 or 07818 438205