What is a CFR?

A  scheme is made up of groups of volunteers who, within the community in which they live or work, have been trained to attend emergency calls received by the NHS ambulance service, providing first aid until an emergency ambulance arrives.

When looking at the location of schemes, the ambulance service will take the following into consideration:

• Towns or villages where it is challenging for an emergency ambulance to arrive at scene within 8 minutes – this is usually in the more rural areas of the County.
• The total number of calls received within these locations must be significant enough for training to take place, ensuring motivation of the group members and their contribution would have a valued, significant effect on patients.

The ambulance service will liaise with the responder group using their local knowledge to decide on what area can be responded to in less than eight minutes. 

Why do we need CFR schemes?

Dr Richard Cummins, from Seattle, USA, discovered that if a series of events took place in a set sequence, a heart attack victim has a greater chance of survival.  These events are known as the Chain of Survival.

• Early Access
• Early Resuscitation
• Early Defibrillation
• Early Advanced Life Support

When put into practice by increasing public awareness, training in basic life support and community based Automated External Defibrillators, these events have improved the pre hospital survival rate to between 25% and 30%.

East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust believes that by introducing a scheme where Community First Responders are trained in providing the first three events in the chain, there would be a significant improvement in the chance of survival.

Who can become a CFR?

A CFR would be between 18 and 70 years of age, physically fit, able to achieve a satisfactory standard of proficiency after training, have a full driving licence, access to a car and have a sympathetic, caring approach to people.