9th year for Samford First Responders

(This article was published in the Village Pump dated 3 February 2012.)

20th February 2012 signifies the 9th year of operation for volunteers of the Samford First Responders group. The Samford First Responders have undergone many changes over the nine years and are now formally recognised as part of the QAS (Queensland Ambulance Service), supporting the QAS Samford Ambulance Station and its skilled paramedic team. Over the 9 years QAS have trained 27 First Responders from the Samford community; three of whom subsequently became QAS paramedics and one a QAS communications officer.

In November 2010 the Samford First Responder group reached full compliment again with 8 fully trained First Responders, thanks to the strong recruitment efforts of Rob Lloyd, the QAS Officer-in-Charge of the Samford Ambulance Station. Rob Lloyd commented, “Our new First Responders are up and running; they have integrated with great enthusiasm into the team and have the full support and assistance of the experienced, long term First Responders and the Samford QAS paramedics to guide and train them”.

QAS Community First Responders are resourced from the community through the Queensland Ambulance Service and are required to attend accident, trauma and medical emergencies to provide lifesaving first aid until the arrival of advanced medical care. The Samford First Responders are trained in advanced first aid, advanced resuscitation with oxygen therapy and automated external defibrillation. Community First Responders work closely with QAS paramedics at the accident or medical emergency and after the ambulance leaves, they help cleanup the area and often provide reassurance and support for relatives and friends - the type of community support that Samford is renowned for.

The response by First Responders is initiated simultaneously with the emergency QAS ambulance response. The First Responder is linked to the QAS Communications network via QAS portable radio, mobile phone and the QAS paging system. Whether an ambulance or a First Responder arrives first at the scene, the Paramedic and First Responder work together to make the patient as comfortable as possible before being transported to hospital.

The longest serving First Responder and a founding member, Steve Parry, has clocked up responding to over 850 cases during the past 9 years, with a total of over 15000 ‘on call’ hours. Steve recalls “we had our busiest month in May 2011 with 66 cases. Traffic accidents are the main reason for our call-outs in the district and we are dispatched to 50% more cases over weekends than during the week.” Steve added, “Our records show that Samford First Responders have attended over 4330 cases in 9 years with 60% classified as life threatening. Our team of unpaid volunteers freely give their own time to the local community; a fantastic combined effort of over 4000 hours in 2011, mostly with only three of us”.

Steve, on behalf of all Samford First Responders, expressed his gratitude to the QAS and particularly the paramedics at QAS Samford who have supported and nurtured the team through its 9 years of growth and development. “The local community, organisations and businesses who have supported us through donations and kind words are sincerely appreciated” Steve said.

For further information, please visit www.SFRG.MySamford.com.au or contact the QAS Officer-in-Charge (Rob Lloyd) at Samford Ambulance Station, 21 Mt Glorious Road, Samford Village, mobile 0434 189 363.