Medical First Responders are private individuals who want to help where they can. Our group of community-minded volunteers in and around Kenton is supported by Coastal Kindness with equipment, training, and administration.
Medical First Responders are not paramedics. We know that!
But what they can do is:
Provide first aid treatment at the scene of an accident or sudden illness with confidence in a prompt, safe and effective way until emergency medical services arrive, if needed.
There are five basic principles of emergency care by which they need to abide:
- Preserve life – this includes the life of the patient, bystanders, and rescuer.
- Protect the patient from further harm – ensuring the scene is safe.
- Provide pain relief – this could include the use of ice packs or simply applying a sling. They are NOT allowed to administer medication unless it is the patient’s own medication.
- Prevent the injury or illness from becoming worse and ensuring that the treatment provided does not make the condition worse.
- Provide reassurance – this could be to the patient, a relative or other people on the scene.
Watch this space to learn more about medical first responders and how they play an important role in helping to make Kenton and its surrounds a safer place for all of us. And how to become one yourself!
Coastal Kindness – caring for you
