I am a Community First Responder (CFR) in Halesowen. A CFR is a voluntary role within the ambulance service through a charity called FastAid. A CFR is trained to a nationally recognised medical standard to be able to attend 999 calls in our local community and deal with emergencies before the ambulance crew arrive. This, in turn, gives patients a better chance of survival and recovery; taking some of the strain off the ambulance service. There is a team of us that are really keen to raise awareness and funds to be able to provide new responders in the area with the life saving kit that contains amongst other things a much needed defibrillator and oxygen cylinder/masks etc.

In the UK around 175,000 people have a heart attack each year, thats about one every three minutes. Most of these happen out side of hospital. The only effective treatment for a heart attack is Defibrillation. CFRs carry Defibrillators for shocking the heart. The sooner a defibrillator is used the better chance of survival. After a patient has collapsed following a heart attack, every minute a defibrillator is not used the chances of survival reduce by 10%. Each year Fastaid Community First Responders successfully resuscitate members of the public, that have suffered a heart attack, who without rapid intervention wouldn’t be alive today.

http://www.fastaid.org.uk/home/

Charity number 1117114