First aiders get second boost

Adam Hewitt • Published 16 Jul 2010 12:30

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VOLUNTEER first-aiders have already made good use of a new emergency kit brought for them with charity money.

The Earley First Responders were just one of the causes helped out by the Woodley And Earley Lions this year, with a £2,000 contribution that funded a second kit to help them deal with sudden collapses, people with breathing problems, resuscitation and similar emergencies before paramedics get to the scene.

The South Central Ambulance scheme proved so successful in Earley that it has since been rolled out to other regions.

Co-ordinator Mark Davis said the donation would "help save lives" and Lions community officer Tony Allen added: "The Woodley And Earley Lions Club is proud to be associated with the Earley First Responders, having raised funds to provide them with a full kit bag."

The Lions made the presentation at a ceremony at Sonning Golf Club last night (Thursday).

The five volunteers, all with different backgrounds, have handled more than 120 emergencies in Earley since the project started.

An ambulance is also dispatched to medical emergencies, but the responders, because they live locally, can usually arrive first and give first aid in the vital few minutes after a collapse or someone stops breathing. The responders live by the 'eight minute rule', which says that three minutes after a patient stops breathing, they lose 20% of their survival chances every minute.

The responders are always recruiting for new volunteers.

For more information visit www.lowerearleyresponders.co.uk

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