Tonbridge Community First Responders - 07859-933640

Tonbridge Community First Responders

Community Responders are volunteer members of the community who are trained to respond to emergency calls through the 999 system, providing vital assistance to people who are ill or injured, prior to the arrival of the Emergency Ambulance.
Emergency calls cannot be forecast, so any emergency response system will inevitably come under pressure however good the planning. In our local area, when a ‘999’ call is made, an Emergency Ambulance (and/or Response Car) will be despatched and, at the same time, the Emergency Dispatch Centre (EDC) will contact the Community Responder who is on duty.

Often the Community Responder is the first to arrive and begins to treat the patient by:
Making the patient feel more comfortable and at ease
Giving oxygen therapy
Clearing and controlling the airway of an unconscious patient
Providing resuscitation and heart defibrillation
Controlling any bleeding
Taking basic ‘observations’ (blood pressure, pulse rate, breathing, etc)
Reassuring worried family and friends and taking charge of the situation
Using local knowledge to help the ambulance find the location quickly.
If the patient has suffered a cardiac arrest, the most vital piece of equipment the Community Responder carries is the defibrillator. This is used to deliver a controlled electric shock to try to restore the patient’s heart to a normal rhythm. The quicker this can happen, the better the chance of survival. It can mean the difference between life and death.

Even the best Ambulance Service in the world cannot get to every 999 call within the first few minutes of the call being made. Ideally there would be an ambulance waiting on every street corner of each town and village. That will never be the case and that is why Community Responders can make such a difference in their communities, especially those in more rural areas. Community Responders help save lives.

Between the 999 call being made and the ambulance arriving, there is a period in which little or no emergency treatment or care takes place. We know that in many emergencies, people can die within the first few minutes. We also know that if certain simple but critical interventions can be performed within those first few minutes, then life can be saved and disability reduced. Community Responders make a real difference.
If you would like more information about Tonbridge Community First Responders please call or email:
Claudine Phillips Team Leader 07859-933640
claudine.phillips@secam.nhs.uk