HSE launches campaign to recruit responders

THE HSE has launched a new campaign to recruit more volunteer community first responders (CFR), and the Four Districts CFR group is highlighting the importance of its volunteers’ life-saving work.

CRFs are trained to administer CPR and use a defibrillator if someone in the community is experiencing a cardiac event and can also assist in the event of a patient suffering a stroke.

As soon as a call is put through to the National Ambulance Service about a suspected cardiac or respiratory arrest, a text is automatically sent to CFRs in the area so they can administer first aid in advance of the ambulance’s arrival.

Due to living in the community, the volunteers are usually first on the scene ahead of the ambulance service and use their life-saving skills before the patient is treated by paramedics.

For Alan Stankus-Kenna, an advanced paramedic and chairperson of the Four Districts CFR which covers Rathcoole, Brittas, Newcastle and Saggart, the works of CFRs is invaluable.

“Their work is very important,” he told The Echo.

“From my perspective as a paramedic, it takes a bit of pressure off, because when something life-threatening is happening it means someone can be there straight away.

“It means the patient is getting the best possible chance of survival, by CFRs being activated prior to paramedics arriving on scene.”

The Four Districts CFR group is almost a year old and has an 18-strong group of volunteers, which the members hope will continue to grow.

Each new member has to attend a four-hour course, with the next one scheduled for September, and four hours of online learning covering topics like critical incident stress management and infection control.

The time commitment then becomes a one-hour training session every fortnight, where they reaffirm their CPR and defibrillator skills, and members can choose when they’re on call – there is no minimum time commitment for members to be on call.

All members attend calls in pairs.

“It a phenomenal commitment that people put in, because it’s completely voluntary and you don’t know when a call will come in,” added Alan.

“But it’s just about taking that first step, making contact with a local CFR group, seeing what it’s like and getting to talk with other responders.

“You’ll be learning life-saving skills, and I do think people get a sense of belonging and fulfilment when they see how the group operates and what we do.”

Anyone with an interest in joining the Four Districts CFR is invited to contact the group at fourdistrictscfr@gmail.com or via the @FourDistrictsFR Facebook page.

Alan explained that the group members are across all age ranges, and the only requirements are that participants are over 18 and can drive.

“We have people who work in local businesses, I work for the ambulance service, we have a couple of retirees, and mams and dads who work 9-to-5 jobs,” added Alan.

The importance of community first responders was highlighted in a campaign launched by the HSE last week, to encourage more people to get involved in their local CFR group.

At the launch of the campaign last Wednesday, July 13, the medical director of the National Ambulance Service, Cathal O’Donnell, appealed to people to consider joining a CFR group.

He said: “We currently have 250 Community First Responder schemes operating in Ireland, but our goal is to ensure that every patient who needs treatment across Ireland gets access to a community response, so this promotional campaign forms part of this.

“I would encourage anyone interested in becoming a Community First Responder to visit www.becomeacfr.ie and get in touch.

“There is currently a need for additional Community First Responders right around the country and you will be given the essential training required.

“We would also like to see additional Community First Responder Schemes established where they are needed.”