When a patient faces a serious emergency, every second counts for them and a simple helping hand from a Community First Responder can make a vital difference to their lives. First Responders in Wales are volunteers who donate their spare time to attend appropriate 999 calls and provide first hand emergency care to people in their own community.

Tenby/Saundersfoot First Responders is a community scheme set-up by the Welsh Ambulance Service with members of the community responding to 999 calls and giving life saving treatment while an ambulance is on the way. They can attend the scene of a medical emergency in a very short time, often arriving within a few minutes of the call and sometimes whilst the caller is still on the phone. They are trained to provide emergency life support and to treat patients suffering from a range of conditions. On the arrival of an ambulance, they form part of the team treating the patient.

When a 999 call is made, First Responders are alerted by WAST’s (Welsh Ambulance Service Trust) three control centres and are sent to certain types of calls at the same time as an ambulance so they can provide essential care until the vehicle reaches the scene. These volunteers are trained by the Welsh Ambulance Service to administer basic first aid skills, oxygen therapy, cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the use of a defibrillator.

A defibrillator is a device that gives an electric shock to the heart through the chest wall to someone who is in cardiac arrest. The chances of survival are greatly increased when a defibrillator is applied. A cardiac arrest is when your heart suddenly stops pumping blood round your body, usually because of a problem with electrical signals. This causes you to fall unconscious and stop breathing If you come across someone who is having a cardiac arrest, it’s vital to call 999 then the call taker will tell you if there is a defibrillator nearby, and you can start CPR.

Members of Wiseman’s Bridge Rowing Club recently organised defibrillator awareness classes hosted by Saundersfoot Sailing Club, and attended by members of several local clubs from the area and staff from Saundersfoot Harbour, to educate members of the community in the use of these devices in case of an emergency. Everyone who attended the class found it to be very informative and educational, pointing out issues that would have been overlooked otherwise. Seventeen-year-old sailor and rower Rosie Mammatt said: “Being an active person, I found this training incredibly useful. Hopefully, I will never need to use a defibrillator, but in an emergency when every second counts. It is vital that people know how to use this life saving piece of equipment.”

The class was run by Tony Wall, co-ordinator of Tenby/Saundersfoot First Responders. Tony has been a First Responder since 2009 and was previously with the ambulance service. Tony and his team are volunteers who cover a large area, including Pendine, East Williamston, Templeton and Lydstep.

Tenby/Saundersfoot First Responders are a registered charity and totally rely on the goodwill donations from people. Most would assume that their equipment would be provided by the ambulance service but their equipment and running costs are paid for through their fundraising efforts, public donations, grants or support from local companies. Wiseman’s Bridge Rowing Club set it upon themselves to raise awareness of this charity by taking part in this year’s Saundersfoot New Year’s Day Swim and have raised over £1,000.

Wiseman’s Bridge rower Nikki Nelson said: “I had attended a police and community meeting where I met Tony, and it was the first time I had ever heard of the First Responders. I realised the more people I spoke to, how little was known about these volunteers. After noticing that a new defibrillator had been fitted on the Saundersfoot Harbour office, we decided to take this opportunity to raise money, raise awareness and gain valuable training at the same time.”

COMPETITION TIME

The Welsh Ambulance Service is calling on people to help save lives by locating their nearest defibrillator. Throughout February, the service is encouraging people to take a selfie with their nearest defibrillator and send details of its location via Twitter to @WelshAmbPIH using the hashtag #Defibuary. During last year’s campaign, a total of 307 pictures were submitted and 102 new locations identified across Wales. Dr. Brendan Lloyd, medical director for the Welsh Ambulance Service, said: “During Defibuary, we’re encouraging everyone to familiarise themselves with where they can find the closest piece of lifesaving equipment available to them. Hopefully, you will never need to use it, but it really could make all the difference.”

Those who take part in Defibuary could win a number of fantastic prizes, including defibrillators, defibrillator training for your community, four complimentary tour tickets for the Principality Stadium in Cardiff and two tickets for a T20 group home match at the SSE SWALEC Stadium.

Other prizes include a Sunday night stay for two with full Welsh breakfast at The Cawdor Hotel in Llandeilo, family tickets for a Scarlets home game, two tickets for Swansea City’s home game against Southampton and family entry to the Bluestone Blue Lagoon Water Park.

To find out the location of your nearest defibrillator, please visit http://bit.ly/DefibLocations

If you would like to find out more about joining an existing First Responders team or starting one from scratch, please email your regional officer - Central and West Wales at [email protected]