What we do
CFRs are called to attend specific Category A and Category B emergency calls.
These types of calls have been chosen as the ones where a CFR can make a positive contribution to the patient's welfare and prognosis while remaining safe.
- Cardiac Arrest
- Unconscious casualty
- Chest pain
- Difficulty breathing
- Fitting
- Diabetes
These types of calls are classified as medical emergencies and the patient will benefit from receiving appropriate care in a timely manner. CFRs should never be called to attend road traffic collisions, or calls which may involve violence or disorder.
As more than 70% of sudden cardiac arrests occur at home (i.e. out of hospital) it is unlikely that a trained ambulance crew will be on scene at the onset. Therefore, the ability of the CFR to get to the patient quickly and administer basic life support and defibrillation is vital, especially in rural areas where it is not always possible to get an ambulance to the patient quickly.
- When an AED is applied to a casualty in cardiac arrest, within the first 3 -4 minutes, survival rates of 85 % have been recorded.
- This decreases by approx 10% per minute
