Barnsley Town Centre Wardens sign up to responder training with Yorkshire Ambulance Service

Six Barnsley Town Centre Wardens have linked in with the region's ambulance service to train as Community First Responders (CFRs), so that they are able to provide vital care, comfort and reassurance in medical emergencies before an ambulance arrives on scene.

The two-day CFR training course, run by Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust, included cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), operating a defibrillator, administering oxygen and assessing a patient’s condition to decide whether an ambulance is required.

The Town Centre Wardens will respond on foot and attend patients who become ill within their patrolling vicinity. They can be activated by Yorkshire Ambulance Service to attend patients following an emergency call being made, as well as helping those that they come across.

This is in addition to their core role of patrolling the town centre to offer advice and support to those who need it, help to reduce low-level crime, environmental offences, and anti-social behaviour.

Cllr Wendy Cain, Cabinet Spokesperson for Public Health and Communities at Barnsley Council, said: “The safety and wellbeing of those visiting and working in our town centre is a priority, and our wardens are now in an ideal position to offer immediate assistance in an emergency situation.

"We're dedicated to making sure our town centre remains a thriving, vibrant destination. Our wardens already do a fantastic job of keeping our town centre safe and welcoming for everyone, and we're pleased to be able to work with Yorkshire Ambulance Service so that the team is equipped with life-saving skills to support in an emergency."

Yvonne Hargreaves, Community Defibrillation Trainer with Yorkshire Ambulance Service, said: “We’re always delighted to train volunteers in life-saving skills, and we are very pleased to be working with Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council to train their colleagues.

“CFRs contribute greatly to their communities, and visitors to Barnsley and those working in the town centre now have the benefit of having CFRs close by. 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 that initial period, lives can be saved.”