January has proved an exciting month for our local Caterham District Community First Responders. Local volunteer Geoff Kempster has been awarded a Commendation from the Chief Executive of SECamb (South East Coast Ambulance Service). As team leader I am delighted with Geoff’s success, although it has to be said it is well earned! Geoff spends many hours each week volunteering in all weathers to turn out to medical emergencies.
Geoff, with other colleagues in the team, receives a call at the same time the 999 ambulance is called, and is often the first to arrive on site. He doesn’t know what he is going to face on the day including cardiac arrests, seizures, strokes, unconsciousness and of course accidents in the home and on the road. Geoff is one of seven in our expanding team.
All Responders are self-funding and are trained and assessed by SECamb before we are allowed to ‘go out’ on our own. As well as attending emergencies, our team supports local events and provide resuscitation training to schools, clubs and local groups to ensure a patient has the best chance of a full recovery.
If you would like to get involved with us, from Fundraising to Responding, I would love to hear from you!
caterham999responders@gmail.com
