Crowborough Community First Responders
Crowborough, UK
Community First Responders (CFRs) are dispatched by Ambulance Control, which for the Crowborough area is the Lewes Emergency Operations Centre (EOC). On completion of training, each CFR is issued with a mobile phone by SECAmb. The phone is linked to SECAmb’s CAD (Computer Aided Dispatch) system and in the EOC is a desk dedicated to the dispatch of CFRs. When a 999 call is received, if appropriate and within reasonable range of a CFR who is on duty, then at the same time an ambulance is dispatched, a CFR will be contacted. It is then up to the CFR if they wish to attend, and if so, they will send a coded text message back to the system. If the CFR for whatever reason decides based on the information received they do not wish to attend, there is absolutely no obligation. What type of incidents do CFRs primarily attend? The types of incidents our CFRs attend may range from cardiac arrest, respiratory arrest, collapse due to medical complications, allergic reactions and other non-trauma cases in the home or workplace. Several lives have been saved by the quick attendance of CFRs to serious cardiac arrest or respiratory arrest calls in the local area and surrounding towns/villages. It costs around GBP 1,800 to get a CFR online.
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