Council workers part of new 'life-saving' team

People who become critically ill in Surrey Heath will benefit from potentially life-saving treatment by Borough Council workers who have been medically trained as First Responders. The Surrey Division of the South East Coast Ambulance Service has trained six Council staff along with members of the security team in Main Square in advanced first aid and basic life support and also taught them how to use Automatic External Defibrillators.

First Responders are members of the community who volunteer their time to work alongside the ambulance service to ensure the best and fastest possible response to patients. When a 999 call is received, which is immediately life-threatening, a responder is contacted and asked if they are able to attend the incident.
The Responders endeavour to help patients in the moments before an ambulance arrives, offering reassurance, medical assistance or, if necessary, using defibrillators to get a person's heart pumping again.

Cllr Stewart Stevenson Portfolio Holder for Regulatory Services and Special Projects, who oversees health and safety, said: "It's all about getting to people quickly to improve their chances of recovery. The responders will be an asset to Camberley as having good local knowledge of the area will help to speed up a response."

The Responders are on-call in shifts and provide cover during office hours. There is a defibrillator in Main Square and in the Council offices. The British Heart Foundation (BHF) funded half the cost of each defibrillator.

BHF Community Fundraising and Volunteer Manager for the area, Heather Hunt, said: "Every two minutes, someone, somewhere will have a heart attack. The Responder's prompt attendance is invaluable, particularly when someone has suffered a cardiac arrest, where the use of a defibrillator could mean the difference between life and death."

Community Training Officer Les Gates, who trained the Responders, said: "Each Responder is backed up by the local ambulance service, but by using these Responders we can ensure that a medically trained person is on scene in the shortest time possible."
He continued: "The volunteers respond to a range of incidents, although there are certain types of cases that they are not asked to go to, such as any case that may involve violence or a road traffic collision in difficult or dangerous situations, as we would never knowingly send a Responder to a situation where there may be any danger."

After their initial training the volunteers receive regular updates and re-assessments to maintain their high skill level.

The ambulance service is also starting up a Community Responders scheme in Deepcut. There are seven volunteers currently undergoing training.

If you are interested in becoming a First Responder or helping to set up a scheme in your neighbourhood or work place, please contact Les Gates on 01737 353333 for more information.

Pictured above back from left, Cllr Keith Bush Surrey Heath Mayor, Chas Bradfield the Council's Director of Customer Services who is also one of the First Responders, Heather Hunt who is the BHF Community Fundraising and Volunteer Manager for the area, Cllr Stewart Stevenson Portfolio Holder for Regulatory Services and Special Projects, Claire Stocker the Council's Health and Safety Officer who has set up the scheme and Community Training Officer Les Gates. Front, Jane Tennyson Microsoft Support Officer at the Council who is also a Responder.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ref: News 325

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------