Page 48 - RADC Bulletin 2019

Rutland & Leicestershire Army Responders
SSgt Rebecca Cooper RADC
“Is the patient breathing...” These are the first words that greet you when you call 999... not something any of us wish to hear. How distressing this must be
for the caller in the first instance but having to wait for help to arrive can feel like a lifetime. This is why Community First Responders are a vital asset to all Ambulance Services; providing the initial response and assistance to patients, free of charge, before the ambulance arrives.
I am the Coordinator of the Rutland and Leicestershire Army Responders, a not-for- profit volunteer organisation made up of
17 members of the British Army, and I am the only RADC member of the group. Our purpose is to respond to 999 calls on behalf
What is a Community First Responder and what do we do?
Community First Responders (CFRs) are volunteers that are trained by the ambulance service, receiving a civilian Level 2 or Level
3 ‘First Person on Scene’ qualification. This training is provided free of charge by the Ambulance Service and, once qualified, responders are able to respond to local emergency calls, providing life-saving
first aid in those vital minutes before an ambulance arrives.
CFRs are trained to assess the situation, provide immediate first aid, and assist ambulance crews once they arrive. Sometimes they may even be conducting CPR from the moment they walk through
• Seizures • Falls
How do we operate?
Rutland and Leicestershire Army
CHARITY
of the East Midlands Ambulance Service, something we do in our free time at no cost to the NHS. The Scheme was formed three years ago and has seen a large number
of military personnel trained up to provide lifesaving medical care and support to the communities of East Midlands.
My role sees me act as the liaison officer between our responders and East Midlands Ambulance Service. I orchestrate monthly training sessions, incorporate and maintain policy, recruit personnel and support applicants through the application process, and of course respond to 999 calls... all in my own time!!
the door.
As well as basic first aid equipment,
responders carry automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and are trained and equipped to provide oxygen therapy.
Our volunteers log on as and when
they have free time, generally evenings
and weekends, and are dispatched to the location of a 999 call. Medical emergencies we attend include:
• Cardiac Arrest
• Diabetic Emergency
• Unresponsive Patients • Breathing Difficulties
• Chest Pain
Responders are a mobile asset and can be despatched to anywhere within the East Midlands. We generally cover Rutland and Leicestershire but have been despatched as far afield as Nottingham and Northampton at times of higher than average call volumes.
Leicester city centre keeps us busy on most shifts, offering a wide array of medical emergencies attending patients from birth upwards. The oldest patient I have attended was 107 years old!! The Scheme also owns two further despatch points which allows myself and another responder to respond from home when the car is out on shift.
46 RADC BULLETIN 2019