What does a Responder do?

Responders are unpaid, CRB checked, Volunteers who give up some of their time to help their community, and save lives in the process.  They are given a First On Scene course and First Aid Training. They alone determine how much of their time they donate to the scheme, although somewhere in the region of one four hour period of duty per week on a rota scheme would be the minimum acceptable, as equipment is passed between on-call Responders, together with the mobile phone and/or pager.

This is because a limited amount of equipment is available, and groups are self funding after the initial equipment issue. A Defibrillator costs upwards of £1000! The founder of the group has sourced and provided a second additional set of equipment for the group, together with a uniform Polo Shirt and Sweatshirt for each Responder carrying the Scheme's logo, and a badge showing the level of response which can be administered. This aids the Ambulance Crew attending in support of the Responder. As funds become available, further kits will be purchased in order to save the inconvenience and cost of having to hand over kits between Responders. We cannot guarantee service levels without extra Responders, so you are essential to the scheme!

Responders are dispatched by the East Midlands Ambulance Service Control Room in Nottingham as soon as a 999 call is received. The call goes out to a pager or mobile phone, and the on-call Responder attends calls local to his/her location in their own vehicle. Responders are tasked according to their locality, and according to the availability of other resources. Sometimes they will not be used in their period of duty, whilst at other times they will be called out once or twice.

Most likely incidents that we are called to include:

• Cardiac Arrest

• Unconscious / Collapse

• Chest Pains

• Difficulty in Breathing

• Diabetic Emergency

• Fitting or Convulsions

• Stroke

• Choking

On receipt of the call, the Responder will contact the Community First Responder desk in the Control Room to confirm their attendance.

Responders are seldom alone for long. As Solo Responders they are supported as quickly as an Ambulance becomes available. Other Ambulance Service Responders from our Scheme, plus on duty Paramedics, Community Paramedics or Emergency Care Practitioners may also attend. If a Responder arrives on scene at the same time or afterwards, they can become a vital part of the life saving team.