The Wiveliscombe group respond to about two 999 calls per week and share the rota between volunteers ensuring that, when possible, the local area is served 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Community First Responder volunteers are an essential part of the ambulance service as they aim to be the first to arrive on scene and give essential basic life support or defibrillation to patients whilst an ambulance is en route.
Thanks to donations from residents and local businesses, the scheme has been able to purchase two fully equipped emergency kits which mean the group can have two Responders on duty most of the time.
Every three months, the whole group complete a training session at Taunton ambulance station to ensure basic skills and techniques are up to date.
Nick Spence, Westcountry Ambulance Service Responder Manager says: “The Westcountry Ambulance Service is very grateful to all members of the Wiveliscombe First Responder Group for their time in making the scheme successful. The fact that the group is still as committed as ever after three years is testament to the hard work, dedication and enthusiasm of all its members. Our aim is to provide the quickest and best possible emergency response to patients in the South West and having a fully trained responder on scene within minutes undoubtedly saves lives.”
Further Information:
In rural and inaccessible areas of the South West, the scheme’s volunteers allow vital minutes to be saved and in situations such as cardiac arrest, these minutes can mean the difference between life and death. Westcountry Ambulance aims to get to all Category A calls (life threatening) within 8 minutes. This target was established clinically, with heart attack victims in mind, as they stand the best chance of survival when treatment is administered in this timeframe. It is for this reason that responder schemes are being established all over the south west.
