SOME KEY FACTS ABOUT THIS GROUP

• Established - November 2002 - Operational - February, 2003.  See our statistics page to see how often we are called, and to what.

• Area covered - Seahouses, Beadnell, Bamburgh and surrounding areas.

• The Team - Three fund raisers and nine active trained volunteers who staff a 24/7 call-out rota.

• We are now trained, controlled and deployed by the North East Ambulance Trust, but were originally trained by the Royal Life Saving Society.

• In rural areas such as Seahouses, it is often impossible for an ambulance to reach an incident within the critical eight minute window.

• Responders are deployed to suspected heart attacks, choking, epilepsy, unconscious collapse, and similar incidents in adults only.

• Responders who have undertaken the extended First Person on Scene Training, including Intermediate Trauma Life Support, can be dispatched to Trauma and Medical Emergencies (Road Accidents, injuries at home/work, etc and additionally incidents involving children, almost any type of call).

• Often the First Responder can find that they are treating and supporting both the patient and the family or relatives who may be severely distressed by the incident. Sadly. there are a very small minority of incidents, where even the rapid intervention of the Responder, has been unable to resuscitate a patient. The Seahouses Scheme have had several such incidents to date. Being a Responder, can sometimes prove to be a harrowing experience, and is not for the faint hearted.

• Local fund raising by way of coffee mornings, car boot sales, and personal donations, will continue as a vital link between the Scheme and the local community. These funds are extremely important to maintain the day to day running costs and equipment.

• Volunteers are still required, to be First Responders, during weekdays or in the evenings, and/or weekends. The duty rota caters for the availability of individual responders, and while some can only manage a few hours, others can do more. If you would like to join the team, you need to be reasonably fit and active, must have access to a motor vehicle, and possess a current full driving licence. It can often be a physically demanding role.

• WANT TO KNOW MORE - Leave your details at the North Sunderland and Seahouses Development Trust Office Tel: 01665 721868, and a member of the Scheme will make contact.

• We have also a PowerPoint Video Presentation, for addressing groups and to educate the general public about our role and give talks to interested groups about our role.

Our Training Procedure

Ian Clayton, Seahouses Ambulance First Responders Press Officer and Webmaster.