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Elena Lewis – Friday 16^th June 2023 – 9:00am.

Ashley and Loggerheads’ Community First Responder (CFR) are thrilled to be swapping their 10-year-old scheme car for a brand new, 4×4 Volvo.

The brand-new vehicle which allows CFRs to reach patients in more challenging areas and in all weather conditions is with thanks to the generosity of their local community, a grant from The National Lottery Community Fund and James Du Pavey Estate Agents

CFRs, who volunteer in their local communities across the West Midlands attend to some of the most seriously ill patients to assist ambulance staff with life-saving treatment. They can be vital in reaching patients who are suffering from medical emergencies such as cardiac arrests, as quickly as possible, particularly in rural communities.

One of Ashley and Loggerheads’ CFRs Simon Crofts said: “Being a CFR is a big responsibility, we get to meet wonderful people in our community at sometimes what could be the worst moments of their lives.

“Supporting the ambulance service, in the way we do, getting to those patients a little sooner gives them a better chance of survival and reassures them and their family at their time of need, its hugely rewarding.

“Being a CFR means giving a little of your time to give others a chance to have more of their own.”

Not only do CFRs act as lifesavers, they also train people to save lives. CFR volunteers often hold CPR and defibrillation sessions within their local communities. If you would like to learn more about your local CFR scheme, or want to learn how CFRs can teach you to save a life, find out more here.

Notes to editors:

Link to Community First Responders page https://wmas.nhs.uk/wmas-services/community-first-responders/

Group photo with CFRs and Sponsors James Du Pavey Estate Agents

ENDS.

Elena Lewis – 22nd May 2023 – 2:20pm.

For Paul Brain, 2020 could have ended very differently after he suffered a cardiac arrest in December, but thanks to the lifesaving interventions of West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) paramedics Tugce Yilmaz and Darren Neeld, he survived and returned home to his family at the end of January.

Mr Brain, a liver transplant and cancer survivor was only 67 at the time of his cardiac arrest, thankfully recognising the strong chest pains he was suffering as a need to call 999 for help. At the time of the call he thought he was suffering a heart attack, but he went on to arrest in front of ambulance staff.

During an emotional reunion with Tugce and Darren, Mr Brain, from Castle Bromwich, said: “I have been waiting more than two years for this moment, when I get to thank you for saving my life.

“I suffered a further cardiac arrest in hospital, as well as a stroke.

“I have now recovered with no ill effects whatsoever, but none of this would have been possible if it were not for their fast and professional actions, and hard work.

“I appreciate how beautiful the blue sky is and how green the grass is every day now, thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

Mr Brain’s wife added: “Thank you for giving me this extra time with my husband.

“I want all frontline ambulance staff to know how much we appreciate what they do, we really do!”

Only 1 in 10 people survive an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, as any delay to administering CPR majorly decreases the chance of survival. Tugce recognised the impact of being able to administer CPR straight away had on saving Mr Brain’s life: “This case is forever seared in my memory, as many cases we attend are unremarkable but this one will stay with me forever.

“To find out that there has been such a happy outcome means the world to me, and it has reminded me that the job we do can be so important to people”.

Knowing the signs of a heart attack and the signs of a cardiac arrest can save people’s lives, as well as being able to affectively administer CPR. Would you know how to give lifesaving CPR? For more information on CPR click the link here.

Notes

Link for information on CPR Learn how to save a life – CPR | British Heart Foundation – BHF

Link for cardiac arrest information https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/conditions/cardiac-arrest

Link for heart attack information https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/conditions/heart-attack

Ends

Elena Lewis – Friday 21st April – 11:30am

A man from Telford who suffered an out of hospital cardiac arrest in 2019 is running a 50-mile ultra-marathon tomorrow (Saturday) to raise money for his local Community First Responder Scheme.

Peter Corr, who suffered a cardiac arrest on his daily run in 2019, was saved by two passers-by who started lifesaving CPR on him before an ambulance crew arrived.

After learning how important immediate CPR is for a patient’s survival, Peter decided to give the gift of life to others by becoming a Community First Responder (CFRs). CFRs are members of the public who play a vital role within the ambulance service, providing potentially lifesaving medical aid, before an ambulance can reach a patient. 

Previously running marathons before his cardiac arrest and completing a 5km run last year, Peter, along with his running partner Dave Isaac, is taking on his biggest challenge yet, running 50-miles along the T50 footpath in Telford, something he has previously described as: “a ridiculous thing to do”.

Peter stressed the importance of everyone learning CPR: “Roughly one in ten people who suffer a cardiac arrest outside of hospital will survive as a result of quick and early medical intervention.

“I really would encourage everyone to learn CPR as well as how to use a defibrillator and to then ‘have a go’ if the situation ever arises.

“Everyone of us, adults and children, have the potential to be a life saver and I am absolute proof of this.

“The passers-by who decided to ‘have a go’ when I was having a cardiac arrest had a life changing impact on me and my family.” 

Nick Freeman, Telford’s CFR co-ordinator said: “I’ve seen with my own eyes the impact having CFRs in a community can make, because getting to patients early can be the difference between life and death.

“There are many opportunities over the coming months to learn how to properly administer CPR and learn to use a defibrillator through Telford CFRs CPR and defibrillation sessions. There’s a CPR session in Ironbridge’s ‘Silver Over the Bridge’ event on Sunday 30^th April, and we will be at Lawley Coronation Carnival on Sunday 7^th of May.”

Get in touch with Telford CFRs by the ‘Contact Us’ page on their website Home – (telfordcfrs.org)

NOTES

A link to the GoFundMe for Peter’s race is https://gofund.me/98218f00