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THE HERALD FRIDAY JANUARY 27 2017


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Co-responder and defibrilator capability boosted MAWWFRS vehicles:


Now have defibrillators on board LAST Friday (Jan 20), Mid


and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service (MAWWFRS) ran a press event to promote their collaborative partnership with the Welsh Ambulance Service and the Cariad charity to provide co-responder and defibrillator capability. For many years, Mid and West Wales


Fire and Rescue Service and the Welsh Ambulance Service have been involved in a joint co-responding scheme that aims to provide the earliest possible response to life-threatening medical emergencies. The first co-responder scheme was introduced in 1998 at Reynoldston Fire Station. Following its success, 18 further locations across Mid and West Wales have become co-responder stations, with at least a further six stations due to join this year. Since the introduction of the scheme


in 1998, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service has attended 22,297 medical emergencies. In 2016 alone, many lives have been saved through their interventions.


The success of the co-responder


scheme has promoted a further initiative whereby Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service is equipping all frontline fire appliances with automatic defibrillators. Working with the charity Cariad, 78 appliances now have defibrillators on board. Rob Quin, Assistant Chief Fire


Officer at Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, told The Herald: “As the role of the Fire Service diversifies and evolves to cater to a wide range of scenarios, so too must our ability to respond to them. While we continue to work closely with our fellow emergency services, our central placement within communities often means that we can get to the scene first and are required to respond to casualties with medical conditions, such as cardiac arrest.” He continued: “Primary responsibility


for responding to medical emergencies lies with the Ambulance Service; these initiatives in no way replace these services, but rather enhance them in a practical way by making good use of


Community defibrillators: Cariad are offering lifesaving training


medically trained and suitably equipped firefighters, who are often closer to the scene of an incident than ambulance crews. Whilst firefighters will provide an initial response to certain categories of call, ambulance crews will also be mobilised to these calls, taking over from the firefighters when they arrive.” Speaking about the funding for


the defibrillators, Rob Quin said: “We have defibrillators for every frontline fire service vehicle through the fantastic support of Cariad and the Welsh Government. The fires stations are also doing fundraising. They are purchasing defibrillators through money raised on open days. "The strength of this is collaboration.


We are pulling together to do what we can. Working with the other services has been fantastic. This is about finding practical solutions to ensure you can do the best for people. "The Welsh Assembly Government


have provided most of the funding for the defibrillators on tenders. Without doubt, without this service there are people walking around now who would not be otherwise without having had the defibrillator. This is all about time. Firefighters and ambulance staff are working superbly well together.” Anthony Hamilton-Shaw, from the


charity Cariad, explained the importance of having defibrillators in the community. He said: "The Cariad charity provides lifesaving training and defibrillators to schools and communities across Wales. We are delighted to be working closely with Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, providing the Zoll AED Plus defibrillator and training to frontline appliances and personnel." He continued: "We, as a charity,


provide defibrillators to schools and communities. We recognise the need. We jumped on board with the fire service in providing vehicles to make a difference in communities. It is something we will continue to do and keep improving. All emergency services should carry this equipment, including the RNLI. The survivability depends on how quickly the casualty can be shocked. The closer they are to the defibrillator, the better. We need as many people in Wales trained.” Speaking about the costs and


technicalities involved, Mr Hamilton- Shaw said: "To place each defibrillator costs £900 to the charity but that is the only cost for seven years. We carry out free training and replace all pads and batteries and we maintain it with regular


checks. It is the community's defibrillator and it is for their lives. The aim is to have one in every tender. "Ambulances carry the AED and we work together to train people. It is important to train as many people as we can in CPR and for them no to be afraid to set up and use this equipment. Shocks from an Automated External Defibrillator should be delivered in less than four minutes from collapse to be most effective. "It stands to reason that the more


defibrillators there are within the communities of Wales, the better the chances of someone recovering from cardiac arrest will be. Placing this equipment on Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service appliances will mean that Fire Service personnel will now be in a position to offer lifesaving resources to the public when best situated to do so." When asked where people can find


the defibrillators, Mr Hamilton-Shaw said: "They are already in a lot of public places. We have around 1,000 spread throughout Wales. We would like them in shops and cafes too. People think a cardiac arrest can only affect the elderly but it can affect young children and fit sportspeople. We have a list of the locations where they are clearly signed and people can go on the website to see where the nearest defibrillator is located in Wales. Some of the cabinets are in a locked environment but the ambulance operator would have the code to access it." Mr Hamilton-Shaw concluded by


saying: “We would like to thank Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service and the Welsh Ambulance Service for the commitment and support they have given to Cariad. It is clear to see how this project has and will continue to help save lives within our communities.”


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