The Website of Vale First Responders - VFR is a Community First Responder group
In association with East Midlands Ambulance Service
Covering The Vale of Belvoir - North Leicestershire and South Nottinghamshire
To read our disclaimer page, please click HERE
Vale First Responders is a charity registered in England and Wales number 1115596 - to see our registration details, click HERE
First Responders are volunteer members of the community who are trained to respond to emergency calls through the 999 system in conjunction with the Ambulance Service. Responders provide immediate care to patients in rural areas where distance may delay the prompt arrival of an ambulance. They are trained to deliver Basic Life Support and defibrillation to patients in Cardiac Arrest and appropriate calls including oxygen administration to patients suffering from a range of conditions.
What is a Responder ?
First Responders are based within the community in which they live or work,
and they can attend the scene of an emergency in a very short time, often arriving
within the first three or four minutes and in about 90% of cases they would be first
on scene. The Community First Responders can then begin vital life saving first aid
before the Ambulance arrives, further increasing the patient's chance of survival.
and they can attend the scene of an emergency in a very short time, often arriving
within the first three or four minutes and in about 90% of cases they would be first
on scene. The Community First Responders can then begin vital life saving first aid
before the Ambulance arrives, further increasing the patient's chance of survival.
Thirty years ago, it was discovered that if a series of events took place, in a set sequence,
a patient suffering from a heart attack stood a greater chance of survival.
These events are now known as the 'Chain of Survival'.
a patient suffering from a heart attack stood a greater chance of survival.
These events are now known as the 'Chain of Survival'.
This is a training simulation
We know that in many medical emergencies and after accidents, 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 that
life can be saved and disability reduced. This is especially the case for heart attacks, choking and injuries that have
caused someone to lose consciousness.
We also know that if certain simple but critical interventions can be performed within those first few minutes that
life can be saved and disability reduced. This is especially the case for heart attacks, choking and injuries that have
caused someone to lose consciousness.
Even the best ambulance service in the world cannot get to every 999 call within the first few minutes.
In fact the East Midlands Ambulance service gets to most calls very quickly. But it may not be quickly enough -
especially in countryside areas or large commercial complexes. There is a period of time between the 999 call being
made and the ambulance arriving in which little or no emergency care takes place. This time period has been called
the 'therapeutic vacuum'. We know that community based First Responders can fill this vacuum and provide essential
simple treatment in those crucial first few minutes before the ambulance arrives. In recent years, advances in
technology have been made, and many interventions which were previously performed only by highly trained
individuals are now available to people with much less training. These include small, easy to operate 'external
defibrillators' (AEDs) and lightweight oxygen delivery systems.
In fact the East Midlands Ambulance service gets to most calls very quickly. But it may not be quickly enough -
especially in countryside areas or large commercial complexes. There is a period of time between the 999 call being
made and the ambulance arriving in which little or no emergency care takes place. This time period has been called
the 'therapeutic vacuum'. We know that community based First Responders can fill this vacuum and provide essential
simple treatment in those crucial first few minutes before the ambulance arrives. In recent years, advances in
technology have been made, and many interventions which were previously performed only by highly trained
individuals are now available to people with much less training. These include small, easy to operate 'external
defibrillators' (AEDs) and lightweight oxygen delivery systems.
