Life-saving equipment for First Responders

The Trust has supported the Community First Responder teams in Aberdyfi and Fairbourne with a grant for the purchase of new life-saving equipment. The grant enabled the First Responders to get the very latest Automated External Defibrillators (AED’s) and associated training equipment.

“The First Responder teams have an important role in our rural area, providing emergency care until an ambulance can reach the scene.” Said Peter Saunders. “We are delighted to support the marvellous people from the First Responders who volunteer to respond to a medical emergency in our communities. One day this vital equipment, in their hands, will save a life.”

The First Responder teams are trained by the Welsh Ambulance Service in basic life support, oxygen therapy and the use of defibrillator, a device that gives an electric shock to patients in cardiac arrest to jolt the heart back into a normal rhythm. They then take it in turns to be on call and respond, when asked by the ambulance service, to life threatening and potentially life threatening calls in their communities, supporting the patient prior to the arrival of an emergency ambulance.

The Aberdyfi team was the first of its kind in North Wales and responds to incidents in Aberdyfi and Tywyn. The Fairbourne team responds to incidents in Fairbourne, Friog and Llwyngwril. There are now six Community First Responder teams in South Gwynedd and all the team’s members are volunteers and trained to a high level by the Wales Ambulance Trust.