'First Responder' Training

Monday 5 July 2010

Dalriada Urgent Care facilitators gave the first day of training to volunteer 'First Responders' from Rathlin last week. Nine people received initial training in emergency CPR and the use of defibrillators, with two more to be trained on a second date.

The role of a First Responder is to attend, when possible, a patient who has collapsed and administer CPR and / or defibrillation while waiting for medical professionals to attend. When an appropriate 999 call is received from the area covered by the First Responder Scheme, the volunteers are notified and try to attend to provide whatever care is reasonable. Application has been made for defibrillators for Rathlin and the new volunteers trained will work on a duty rota system. The second stage of training will be on the Island within the next few weeks.