Tytherley
Community Responders
What
is it?
The aims of the Community
Responders are to recruit, train and equip community-based volunteers to
respond to life threatening emergencies and to deliver care until the ambulance
service arrives.
Why
do we need this Service?
Owing to Tytherley's rural
location, ambulances can rarely get here within the optimum call out time
of eight minutes. Consequently, if there is a medical emergency, such as
a cardiac arrest, they will be unable to get to the patient in time to
save them.
What
does it involve?
In the vast majority of
callout the responders are simply there to provide support, reassurance
and initial first aid until the trained crew arrive. The presence of the
responder's cars, with hazard light flashing, makes it easier for the ambulance
crew to locate the casualty especially in the dark and when navigating
around unmarked roads and houses. Sometimes a patient with breathing difficulties
may need oxygen and occasionally resuscitation (responders carry a defibrillator).
The ambulance service will only allocate callouts they feel are appropriate
- we are not asked to go to road traffic accidents or a violent incident.
No prior medical knowledge
is needed. All necessary training is provided by the ambulance service.
Responders usually work in pairs with a "buddy". Pagers are provided, so
there is no need to stay within earshot of the phone. Unfortunately mobile
phones don't work consistently throughout the village so we cannot use
them. To put things in perspective, we receive approximately 1 callout
per month.
The amount of time
people want to commit is entirely voluntary. Responders only log on when
it is convenient for them to do so and, should an emergency crop up at
home, they simply tell the ambulance service they want to log off again.
How
can you help?
You can help us to help
you by joining the Comunity Responder scheme. The responder numbers have
dropped from the original twenty, to a small team of seven. Six of the
seven volunteers already work full time, so we cannot provide twenty four
hour cover. We need to recruit new members, as it is getting to the stage
where provision of the service is becoming unviable. The more responders
we can recruit, the less time each of us will have to commit. Without your
support this service will cease.
If you are over 18
years old, fit and are able to demonstrate your first aid abilities after
training, have the ability to work as part of a team, spare a few hours
a week, then you can become a member of Tytherley Community Responders.
We will always need
your help in some way so if you want any more information please contact
Nigel King on 01794 342130.
