Caerphilly First Responders

Community First Responders are volunteers for the Welsh Ambulance Service NHS Trust. They are activated by Ambulance control whenever they need them to answer a 999 call within their communities. First Responders offer life saving techniques until the arrival of an Ambulance or RRV (Rapid Response Vehicle). First Responders are fully trained in the use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED), Oxygen therapy and advanced first aid.

Community first Responders attend various life threatining illnesses such as cardiac arrests, breathing difficuilties, heart attacks, falls and anything that we have been trained to where the ambulance crew or RRV may not arrive with the patient before we can.

I have been a member of Caerphilly First Responders for over four years, and as a group we have attended many emergency calls within the Caerphilly Basin area. Every one of us can recall incidents where the patient has been attended to within minutes of making the initial 999 call because we live in the community. We have been able to help them, and provide reassurance to family members, until the arrival of a professional ambulance crew. As we are all volunteers, the pride we feel afterwards is immeasurable. We enjoy helping the residents of Caerphilly and each and every one of us is extremely proud to be part of the Welsh Ambulance Service, and Caerphilly First Responders, whilst making a difference to the community. Mike Williams