Ferns Community First Responders –

Supporting the National Ambulance Service to provide emergency first response in the event of Sudden Cardiac Arrest in the Ferns area.

 

Join Us As A Volunteer

Volunteers Needed!

 

 

 
Can you volunteer to help us to save lives in our community? We are currently looking for people to join us to respond to Heart Attack, Cardiac Arrest, Stroke & Choking emergencies. Full training will be provided and all we ask is for each volunteer to cover at least one shift a fortnight. Email us at info@fernsCFR.com for more information.

Ferns CFR - LIVE since Monday 27th of June 2016!

Ferns CFR have been live since the 27th of June 2016 supporting the National Ambulance Service in the Ferns, Camolin, Clologue, Ballyduff and surrounding areas.

Volunteers are notified directly by the National Ambulance Service when they receive a 999, (or 112), call reporting a possible cardiac arrest or choking incident and because these volunteers are living in the community they can provide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, (CPR), until the arrival of the ambulance paramedics. The volunteers are also trained in the use of an Automated External Defibrillator, (AED).

It is critical that someone suffering a heart attack, a stroke or cardiac arrest has medical treatment as soon as possible after the event occurs to ensure that as little permanent damage as possible is done to heart or brain tissue so that they are able to make a full recovery. Every second counts!

Ferns CFR volunteers attended 12 emergencies between going live and early August 2016. Not only were they able to assess and treat the patient if appropriate they were also able to provide comfort and reassurance to the family of the person who suffered the medical emergency.

How does it work?

Ferns Community First Responders work with the National Ambulance Service and its volunteers are dispatched at the same time as National Ambulance Service Paramedics to Cardiac Arrest, Heart Attack, Chest Pain & Choking Incidents within their area of operation.

Ferns CFR volunteers will be fully trained to assess the state of health of the person on arrival and to administer Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation, (CPR), or to use an Automated External Defibrillation, (AED), device to administer an electric shock to restart the heart if necessary. The Ferns CFR volunteer will continue to administer first aid and provide support until the arrival of the National Ambulance Service Paramedics.

What happens when a Community First Responder Gets A Call From The National Ambulance Service?

This video shows what happens when a Community First Responder in the UK receives an emergency call out from the National Ambulance Service. Source: O2 UK Business

What Ferns Community First Responders do?

Early intervention is vital in the event of Sudden Cardiac Arrest. The longer the heart is stopped the more damage is caused to the vital organs of the body as blood cannot be supplied to them.

Because the Ferns CFR volunteers live in the Ferns community themselves they will be on hand to provide life saving care before the arrival of the National Ambulance Service Paramedics.

It’s not just about the patient, it’s also an emergency situation for the patient’s family. The Emergency First Responder can offer them reassurance and support between the time the emergency first occurs until the arrival of the ambulance service.