About Ludlow
CFR
The Ludlow Community First Responder Scheme was established in 2000, when volunteer schemes to support the ambulance service were first developed in Shropshire. Since then, our members have been active in the local community and surrounding areas working closely with the West Midlands Ambulance Service to provide critical life saving care.
All CFR's are volunteers and have been trained in advanced first aid by West Midlands Ambulance Service. They make themselves available to ambulance control and will attend 999 emergencies in the local community, providing care and treatment until the arrival of a full-time ambulance resource. Our members can be called upon at any time, whether at home, work or even during an outing!
In addition to giving up their free time to attend emergency calls, our volunteers also commit many hours to training, scheme meetings, fundraising, and public relations events.
Each Community First Responder scheme is self-funding and relies on their own fundraising, in addition to the generosity of local businesses, individuals and organisations for support. This ensures we can provide an essential service to the local community.
What is a
CFR
Community First Responders (CFRs) are volunteers who are dispatched to emergency 999 calls within their local community. In the West Midlands, we are proud to be supported by more than 500 active CFRs.
CFRs are usually people who have received medical training from their local ambulance service. They respond when available, in their own time and without pay. Attending emergency 999 calls in both urban and rural areas. They are not a substitute for ambulance staff; however, they provide life-saving skills to patients in their local community until an emergency ambulance vehicle arrives.
In addition to responding to emergency 999 calls, CFRs promote health and wellbeing in their local community by raising the awareness of the importance of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the use of a defibrillator.
CFR volunteers are normally affiliated to a local charitable scheme within their community. All CFR schemes are designed to be financially self-supporting. Although the Ambulance Service will provide all necessary support, training and consumables, CFRs must raise funds for their uniform, equipment and vehicles. CFR schemes are usually involved in a variety of fundraising events to support their voluntary role within their local community.
