Volunteer Community First Responder

Could you become a Volunteer Community First Responder?
This is an exciting opportunity to become a Community First Responder (CFR) within the following areas:

• Swansea Bay

Who can apply?

• Do you enjoy a challenge?
• Are you good under pressure and remain calm in an emergency?
• Are you proud of the community in which you live and want to give something back?
• Do you have free time to spare?
• Are you ready to learn essential lifesaving skills?

All applicants must be over the age of eighteen, have a full driving licence with less than 3 penalty points and have access to a car.
Volunteers will be expected to provide a minimum number of hours volunteering per month (currently 16 hours pro rata).
If you can answer ‘yes’ to these, then this volunteering opportunity may be perfect for you.
Our volunteers are trained by the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust (WAST) to administer emergency care, including patient assessment skills, airway management skills, oxygen therapy, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and the use of an automatic external defibrillator (AED).
When a patient faces a serious emergency, every second counts for them and a simple helping hand from a CFR can make a vital difference to their lives.
CFRs in Wales are volunteers who donate their spare time to attend appropriate 999 calls and provide first hand emergency care to people in their own community.
When a 999 call is made, our CFRs are alerted to an emergency call via a handheld mobile device from one of our three Regional Ambulance Control Centres. Our volunteers will drive to the address of the incident, under normal road conditions, and will adhere to the Highway Code at all times. Our volunteers will not be permitted to drive under Emergency Conditions e.g., Blue Lights.
What happens if my application is successful?
Should your application be successful, you will be invited to a CFR onboarding event on the following date:

• Wednesday 10th April at 6pm at Matrix One, Northern Boulevard, Swansea Enterprise Park, Swansea. SA6 8RE

During the recruitment event we will be holding a short presentation followed by an informal discussion to get to know each candidate and their suitability to become a CFR.
The CFR training course will comprise of five full days of training on the dates below:

• Friday 17th May to Tuesday 21st May 2024, 9-5 daily (Matrix One).

All new volunteers MUST be able to attend the recruitment event and all of the five training dates listed above - we will therefore take your application as confirmation of your availability.
All new volunteers will undertake an enhanced DBS check and ID check; occupational health clearance and two character references will also be required. Each new learner will be given access to 14 eLearning modules which must be completed prior to the commencement of the course.
During the course a network of WAST support staff will train volunteers in life saving skills and how to use the equipment available to our CFRs. On successful completion of the course, we will put you in touch with your local CFR team, to allow you to integrate and start using your newly acquired skills by responding to calls in your community.
Additional information:
All Infection Prevention Control requirements must be met, to ensure the maximum level of protection can be achieved for all volunteers and staff within the Welsh Ambulance Service NHS Trust. This includes being clean shaven for all training and when discharging duties on behalf of the ambulance service.
‘Facial hair that lies along the sealing area of a respirator, such as beards, sideburns, or moustaches will interfere with respirators that rely on a tight face piece fit to achieve maximum protection. The areas of the skin, which contact the face or neck seal and nose cup seal, must be free of any hair’.