Tasking to 999 calls

First Response training!

At first being a responder is a bit like going for a job that you know you would like - but have no idea what it truly involves. No one shift is the same as the next. You can have periods of intense activity followed by an hour or so of waiting. However it's that buzz of the call and the rush of the adrenaline that keeps you on your toes. You get to deal with all sorts of people and circumstances, it is a common statement that for you to have a good day on First Response someone somewhere has to have a bad day or experience. No matter what though that person would still have had that experience whether you were there or not, the difference is that whilst on standby you can be there for them and you can make a difference no matter how small.

make a difference

Getting used to dealing with people and their circumstances, making observations and determining the best course of comfort or treatment is an ongoing exercise, and with every call you learn a little more. We are not paramedics by any means and the level of training we receive restricts Emergency Responders to rudimentary treatment, it is in the delivery of primary care in the first few minutes before an ambulance crew arrives that we really make a difference. There is a lot to think about in a short time, we may need to utilise oxygen therapy, take primary surveys of the patients general health and posture, patient history, methods of injury and circumstances are all taken into consideration when we hand over to the ambulance crews, these will include a comprehensive list of metrics that will include blood pressure, Oxygen levels (SpO2), heart and breathing rates, and reactions to stimuli. Once the crew have taken control of the patient we then perform the role of assisting the paramedic, this can include helping with patient extraction to the ambulance, supplying them with extra medical equipment and if required fixing up drips and lines.

help the patient

Its not all blood and vomit, some of the most rewarding tasks are where you can give security and comfort to someone who is not in a life threatening situation but do need genuine medical aid. By being there during the period between the ambulance being called and arriving can help the patient from getting worse, and if they do get worse you are in a position to extend that critical time that will allow the professional ambulance crew to administer the correct medical aid.