Supporting our volunteer heroes

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Community First Responders (CFRs) volunteer in the communities where they live or work, often providing early lifesaving emergency aid ahead of ambulance arrival.

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CFR volunteers are called on any time, day or night, to help reach patients most in need across 10,000 square miles of the South West.

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Attending over 20,000 incidents each year, their contribution really does save lives, reduce pain and provide reassurance to those requiring emergency care.

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They're trained and governed by the South Western Ambulance Service and provided with a basic medical kit for each local CFR Group.

 

Donations and grants enable us to buy more medical response kits, additional lifesaving equipment and can even fund Community Response Vehicles. 

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For example (*costs are approximate and subject to change):   

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£35* buys a Tympanic Thermometer.  As part of the critical initial observations, this can provide an early warning sign for underlying medical conditions such as sepsis or meningitis.

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£50* buys an automatic blood pressure monitor and cuffs. As part of the critical initial observations, this is more resilient and robust compared to manual monitoring.  

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£350* buys a pulse oximeter.  Used for critical initial observations to measure oxygen levels in the blood and pulse. Monitoring is continuous to ensure any changes in pulse or oxygen levels are highlighted immediately for action.

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£3500* buys a Raizer Lifting Chair. Used to enable trained CFRs to help people who have had a fall, do not have any injuries of concern, and are unable to get themselves back up off the floor. Around 1 in 3 adults over 65, and 1 in 2 adults over 80, will have at least one fall a year (NHS figs.). Most falls do not result in serious injury but laying for long periods can lead to health complications and frequent falls can reduce confidence and lead to a person feeling less independent and becoming more withdrawn. 

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Find out more about SWASFT volunteering here.