Make the difference and volunteer as a Community First Responder in South Yorkshire

Yorkshire Ambulance Service is planning to launch 17 new Community First Responder Schemes across South Yorkshire – and is urging local people to get involved.

CFRs are volunteers who attend medical emergencies in their community and provide vital care, comfort and reassurance in the moments before an ambulance arrives. They are trained to carry out baseline observations, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and moving and handling techniques. They carry an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) and oxygen, as well as a basic first aid equipment and, in some cases, lifting kit for patients who have fallen. No previous medical experience is required.

Volunteers are wanted for schemes in:

Barnsley                                     Rotherham

Cawthorne                                   Catcliffe

Cudworth                                     Swallownest

Tankersley                                   Thurcroft

Doncaster                                   Sheffield

Armthorpe                                   Crookes

Askern                                         Longley

Balby and Hexthorpe                    Stannington

Barnby Dun/Kirk Sandall

Carcroft and Skellow

Finningley

Rossington

Stainforth

Warren Bostock, Community Defibrillation Officer for YAS, said: “CFRs make an extremely valuable contribution to their communities. We know that in many medical emergencies, such as a heart attack, breathing difficulties or a collapse, the first few minutes are critical. If effective treatment can be given within those first minutes, lives can be saved.

“The CFR role has developed over the years and, as well as attending time-critical incidents, they can also be deployed to as part of Falls Teams to help uninjured patients who have fallen and need help to get off the floor. This frees up ambulances to attend more serious calls.

“CFRs come from all walks of life and volunteer for a variety of reasons. Many people find it rewarding to help people in need and give something back, while others benefit from learning new skills, meeting new people and becoming more connected with their local community.”

Full training is given to successful applicants who need to be over 18, physically fit and hold a full driving licence, having never been banned from driving with no more than three penalty points.  YAS also runs Disclosure and Barring (DBS) checks on candidates. We ask volunteers to be on-call for an average of five hours a week, although depending on the size of the scheme, this can be flexible.

For more information about the role and how to apply, visit https://www.yas.nhs.uk/get-involved