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All CFR schemes are designed to be financially
self-supporting. Although the Ambulance Service will provide all necessary support, training and the loan of medical equipment,
it is likely that CFR schemes will wish to become involved in a variety of fundraising events in support of their work.
Each scheme is expected to raise the necessary funding required to purchase any extra equipment and training, from
within the community they are serving. This also helps to strengthen community links and spirit. Ideally, each team will consist of 10 -15 members and possess at
least one set of equipment.
The cost of providing this is initially £4800 with an annual running cost of
£1000 +.The running costs cover training, re qualification and replacement of safety clothing such as high visibility
jackets. Any administration cost will also fall within this budget.A number of the teams throughout the country have secured sufficient funding to provide additional
kits which helps to reduce response times.Many teams raise funds through local authority grants, fund raising events, donations
and other methods.The modus operandi varies between Ambulance Trusts.
One of the most vital and also most expensive pieces of equipment carried by First
Responders is the Automatic External
Defibrillator (AED)In the U.K. 135,000 people die each year due to what is commonly
known as a heart attack or myocardial infarction. Two thirds of these deaths happen outside of the hospital environment. Death
is often due to a lethal, but treatable, electrical abnormality in the heart called ventricular fibrillation (VF) and only
one treatment has been found to be effective:
DEFIBRILLATION.
The Automatic External Defibrillators
(AEDs) are easy to use and talk the user through step-by-step instructions.Minutes save lives. The sooner
a defibrillator is used the better chance the patient has of surviving. After a patient has collapsed following a heart attack
and is having VF, every minute that a defibrillator is not used the chances of survival reduces by 7-10 %. This is where a
Community First Responder can save lives.
There are several ways in which you can help your local Community First Responders, you could join them and do
your training, help with fund raising or complete a course in CPR/First Aid so that you would know what to do in the
case of an emergency. You could start by having a fund raising event yourself, fun
run,auction, or an event in your local etc or making a cash donation.
The First Responder is a person
who gives their time freely for the good of the community, many have full time occupations and families, hobbies and interests, but
on receiving a call they respond immediately.I implore you to give a little something
back to help fund the equipment and training for this vital service, whether it be your time or money.
There are a large number of Community First Responder teams throughout the country,working under
the auspices of their local Ambulance Service who will supply you with further details of how YOU can
make a difference.
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