News

 

February 2007

Coastal Villages First Responders are the busiest First Responder Scheme in Norfolk, source East of England Ambulance Service

 

January 2007

Coastal Villages First Responders would like to thank everyone in the year of 2006 for their kind support

 

November 2006

Somerton Village Hall committee and Somerton Parish Council have got together to arrange a "grand auction" for the Coastal Villages First Responders. they raised a massive £1,556.35

We would like to thank them and all people who donated items and thanks for all the people who turned up on the night and helped to support us.

 

October 2006

Global Signs have donated sign writing for our Responder Van, we would like to thank them very much for their kind donation.  In 2007 there will be a Official Hand Over to us from Norwich Vans and Global Signs, please keep an eye on the site for dates etc.

October 2006

Norwich Vans have donated us a Rover 25 Van (worth £3500) to us to use as a Responder Car. We would like to thank Norwich Vans for their kind donation. In 2007 there will be a Official Hand Over to us from Norwich Vans, please keep an eye on the site for dates etc.

 

20th June 2006:-   

Mr Chris Locke, Manager at “The Dolphin Bar” at Long Beach, Hemsby presenting the G3 Semi Automatic defibrillator to Adam Wright and James Taylor, from the Coastal Villages Community First Responders.

Chris Locke says “We’re pleased to be associated with Coastal Villages Community First Responders. As we all know, time is critical when cardiac problems come up and of course our Emergency Services are under pressure during the holiday season when so many people are in the area. Defibrillators are acknowledge as being a effective way of keeping heart attack victims going until they reach hospital. Our worry has always been that the ambulances are not always available straight away due to demand on the service. Where I have worked here at long beach for many years, we can always hear bar jokes about being heart attack candidate, but this is serious. So we really hope that this equipment will be a great asset for the local community

The donation of this automatic external defibrillator is an incredibly generous donation and and will help us to continue to save lives in the local community. To date we have made in the region of 75 responses in just two months and the busy summer period still to come. We've been called to a variety of places from care homes to a church during a Sunday service. We currently have 9 volunteers and are looking for more members so we can give constant 24/7 cover. Despite this amazing donation we still need the support of the local community and help from local business's. Again we can not thank the dolphin bar enough for the donation of this defibrillator

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5th April 2006:-

Here is a press release from the EDP:- or visit EDP Press Release

Village volunteers faster than ambulance

05 April 2006 07:53

Volunteers on a new rapid-response team in Norfolk treated 10 people in its first two days - getting to each quicker than paramedics.

The Coastal Villages Rapid Response Team, which covers Hemsby, Martham, Ormesby and Winterton, became the latest of a series of schemes covering Norfolk and north Suffolk at the weekend.

Nine volunteers have registered for the scheme and received training from the East Anglian Ambulance Service in resuscitation, heart massage and first aid.

The team are able to get on with their normal lives but each takes it in turn to provide 24-hour on-call coverage, during which time they are not allowed to leave the area.

Each time paramedics are called to the area the on-call volunteer receives a text message and, if they have received training for the situation, drops everything and drives to the scene.

Most important tool in their kit is a defibrillator, which shocks the heart into starting again, and for which every second counts.

Adam Wright, one of the new scheme's volunteers, said the team's ability to get to the scene first was the most important part of their role.

“Of the seven incidents I attended I was ahead of the ambulance each time, sometimes by up to ten minutes,” he said.

“Because we're close and know the area intimately we can get there very quickly, even though we have to drive within speed limits. And that's the essence of our role, being able to restart hearts when the difference between life and death is a matter of seconds.”

Jon Needle, the ambulance service's first response co-ordinator, said there were now about 25 similar schemes in Norfolk, the same in Cambridgeshire and about 30 in Suffolk, with 800 volunteers in total.

He said the scheme was vital for saving people's lives.

“It's having a really big impact on emergency response,” he said. “In areas where there are schemes a far greater proportion of those who have a cardiac arrest survive.

“Defibrillators are very cheap, less than £1,000 these days, and extremely easy to use - people just follow the on screen instructions. And having them in the community really does make an enormous difference.”

Each scheme has to raise money to cover the cost of equipment - and most are looking for new volunteers.

Mr Wright said there would be a charity fundraising day in the Sunningdale club, Newport Road, Hemsby, on April 29 - and that anyone in the area wanting to become part of his scheme should see the website

1st April 2006                    Within the first 24 hours Coastal Villages First Response has had

                                           8 callouts, (Chest Pain, Short of Breath)

 

31st March 2006                Coastal Villages First Response went live at 15:00 today