Warwick District Community First Responders are volunteers who respond to 999 calls on behalf of West Midlands Ambulance Service. This year they have been very busy responding to the demand for training people in CPR lifesaving skills and using defibrillators. The total number trained this year is nearing 1,000, with over 200 people trained on Restart a Heart day in October, including Warwick Mayor Christine Cross, and a further 100 being trained this month. To meet this demand the CFR’s have needed to recruit new trainers.
Rotarian Graham Suggett responded to their call to train as a trainer, and soon noted that there was some reluctance to administer the “kiss of life” on hygiene grounds.
Working with the Responders a face mask was devised which can be attached to a car or house keyring so it is always with you in case of emergency. The Rotary Club of Warwick raised and donated £1,000 to purchase 2,000 keyring face masks, and these are now being given to all volunteers who complete a CPR and AED course.
If you are interested in being trained in CPR and use of a defibrillator, or joining the training team, or if you are interested in becoming a 999 responder contact the Warwick District First Responders via their website www.warwickfirstresponders.org. Donations are also needed to support their work, which receives no public funding. Volunteers are unpaid and the CPR courses are offered free of charge.
The Rotary Club of Warwick installed a publicly accessible defibrillator outside Shire Hall and is keen to see defibrillators in all organisations which have large numbers of people attending.
The first photo shows one of the key-ring face masks, while in the 2nd photograph Rotarian Graham Suggett is demonstrating CPR at Coten End school
