When a “999″ call is made within our local area, the Ambulance Service despatch an Emergency Ambulance as normal to the scene, at the same time they will contact the First Responder who is on-duty. Due to our location, we can often arrive first on the scene and begin to treat the patient by:
- Giving oxygen therapy
- Clearing and controlling the airway of an unconscious patient
- Providing resuscitation and heart defibrillation
- Controlling any bleeding
- Making them feel more comfortable and at ease
- Taking basic observations
- Reassuring worried family and friends and taking charge of the situation
- Using local knowledge to ensure that the Ambulance can find the location quickly
In cases where the patient has suffered a cardiac arrest, the most vital piece of equipment we carry, called the defibrillator, would be used to deliver a controlled shock to attempt to put the patients heart back into a normal rhythm.
In theses circumstances the patients heart needs to receive a shock as quickly as possible, ideally within the first 5 to 10 minutes after they have collapsed. The quicker this can happen, the better the chances of survival.
A heart defibrillator costs approx. £1,800, but this piece of equipment can mean the difference between life and death for some people. As First Responders are primarily called to attend “Category A” emergency calls, these are 999 calls which the East Midlands Ambulance Service deem to be “Serious and/or life threatening” and therefore by their very nature need medical help to arrive as quickly as possible, usually within the first 8 minutes from the 999 call being made. “Category A” calls are usually where the patient is suffering from some of the following symptoms:-
- Signs of Cardiac arrest
- unconsciousness and collapse
- Chest pains (e.g. heart attacks and acute angina)
- Breathing difficulties (e.g. asthma, acute on-set bronchitis/emphysema)
- Diabetic emergencies (e.g. hypoglycemia)
- Fitting or convulsions (e.g. epilepsy)
- Stroke (CVA)
- Anaphylaxis (allergic reaction)
- Choking
These types of calls are classed as medical emergencies, and can happen both at home and in public places.
Since more than 70% of sudden cardiac arrest cases occur out of hospital, it is unlikely that Paramedics will be on the scene at the onset, so the ability of the First Responders to get to a patient quickly and administer basic life saving support until the Ambulance Paramedic arrives is vital, especially in rural areas where an Ambulance cannot always reach the scene straight away.
First Responders with quick access to defibrillators can be a vital asset when sudden cardiac arrest strikes.
