Community Responder groups are not part of the ambulance service but are civilian volunteers who are accountable to the ambulance service for the assessment and treatment of patients prior to professional help arriving. By professional help I mean NHS employed personnel such as GP’s, Doctors, paramedics, technicians and nurses.Holt & Communities First Response Unit is provided to our community with no funding from the NHS, other than providing the training required to undertake the role of a community responder. The group is self funding and self-governing and has to provide all its own equipment, uniform, transport costs, publicity material etc.
To allow the group some flexibility in how it funds its activates it has applied and been granted charity status from the charities commission. However, members of the public and other sponsors can make a donation to the unit.
So how does it work? Once a unit member is on duty they will have all the equipment stored safely in the unit’s new marked vehicle. They also have with them an ambulance mobile phone. Once a emergency 999 call is made to the ambulance service, which is within the area covered by Holt & Communities First Response Unit a text message or phone call is received and the responder will then stop whatever they may be doing at the time, and whilst driving within the speed limit will make there way to the address that the call has been made from. Once there, they will provide emergency medical assistance whilst awaiting the arrival of professional help.
If you may be interested in joining Holt & Communities First Response Unit or for more information about the unit or further first aid training, please ring:
Helen Simmons, Deputy Coordinator on 01263 860441
David Hunt, P & P and campaigns on 01263 713428
Wayne Challinor, equipments & training officer on 07772000532
Doug McCoy, community paramedic on 01263 714918HOLT & COMMUNITITES FIRST RESPONSE IS A REGISTERED CHARITY – No 1118314