Ely Community First Responders is made up of volunteers who are trained in First Aid and Emergency life support skills who work alongside the East of England Ambulance Service. We respond to 999 calls in your community helping to save lives and make a difference in your community.

 

 

In May 2012 the Ely Community First Responders celebrated their 5 year anniversary. The group has eleven active First Responders that attend local 999 calls to give life saving support to patients until the ambulance arrives. Six of the current Responders joined when the group first formed in 2007. In a typical month the Responders attend to 14-25 patients and volunteer up to 600 hours a month. For an example of a typical month, in March they attended 14 calls, 7 heart related or chest pain, 2 unconscious, 1 minor bleed, 2 falls, 1 seizure and 1 breathing problem. Responders attend calls at any time of the day or night in patients homes or outside in public areas. The Community First Responders work alongside and are trained by the Ambulance staff to help ensure that patients receive the care they need quickly.

 

Emma Greaves Ex co-ordinator for the Ely Responders said, ‘We have had a fantastic five years and the group has gone from strength to strength. We have had a lot of support from the public helping with funding new equipment, raising our profile and getting new groups out in the surrounding villages. The feedback from the patients has been very positive and we are thrilled that we are out there making a difference and saving lives. We are also very lucky to have tremendous support from the local Ely paramedics and ambulance staff. In the past five years we have seen two of our responders highly commended for the volunteer awards, help set up two new groups with two more on the way, we have gone to schools and events to teach the public emergency life support skills and to demonstrate what we do and the equipment we use. We are lucky to have a very strong team so we confident that we will be able to keep the first responder service available to the residents in Ely for the foreseeable future.’

 

Claire Dunham the New Co-Ordinator is looking to recruit new responders her aim is to obatain the goal of providing 24 hr cover with the group and to increase awareness of Community First responders and early defibrilation of paitients. If you are interested in joining please contact her.