A donation of £15,000 courtesy of the Isle of Man Lions’ Club will provide equipment for extra Community First Responders, who will be providing cover in the Douglas area for the first time.
Roy Wilson of the Lions’ Club said the money was raised in a variety of ways by members, some from charity fundraising events, and some by way of legacies.
‘We had money there in the kitty so we thought we would help the First Responders’ service. It’s a cause we have supported before and previously we gave £20,000 to provide eight sets of equipment,’ he said.
This time the club will be supplying six First Responders’ bags, each of which contains an automatic defibrillator which can restore a patient’s regular heart beat. The money will also provide the new volunteers with other equipment such as a thermometer, blood pressure gauge, first aid dressings, aspirin, oxygen and a uniform.
The Douglas scheme will complement other schemes already operating in the north, south, east and west of the island.
By using trained local volunteers, the First Responder scheme aims to ensure someone is on the scene to administer first aid as soon as possible, giving vital initial treatment until an ambulance arrives. This is especially important for patients who suffer a heart attack or stroke.
All the Community First Responders are unpaid volunteers who undertake training run over two weekends and pass an assessment course before being allowed to operate. Organisers are currently recruiting more volunteers to expand the cover. Volunteers are then placed on a rota and are on call, responding to emergency calls in their local area. In addition to giving first aid and life support, First Responders can also relay information to the ambulance team while it is on its way so it knows what to expect.
The six new First Responders completed their training at the end of March and will soon be taking up their new roles. Anyone over 18 is eligible to train. Volunteers use their own vehicles but are not allowed to use blue lights. Anyone wanting more information should contact Gerry.jones@ja.org.im or Steven.Crowe@gov.im