A community first responder from the Isle of Skye is calling on others to help save lives in rural and island communities.
Lesley MacLean, from Waternish on Skye, has been speaking at a public meeting asking others to join up to be the first on the scene of medical emergencies.
Community first responders (CFRs) are volunteers who are trained by the Scottish Ambulance Service.
Because of their training CFRs are able to attend to incidents such as cardiac arrests in the communities where they live or work.
The aim is to reach a potential life-threatening emergency in the first vital minutes before the ambulance crew arrives.
Volunteers are needed in Lochalsh and South Wester Ross
The Scottish Ambulance Service wants to encourage more people in Lochalsh and South West Ross to become a CFR.
One of those already a volunteer is CFR Lesley MacLean, who joined the Waternish CFR scheme in May 2016. She is now the coordinator of the group.
She said: “We live in a small community and hopefully the ambulance is not required too often.
“While we are happy to respond to calls. It is also reassuring not to receive calls. As it means there is not a huge demand from people needing ambulances.”
Attending a number of jobs, she said CFRs are an invaluable link in the chain of survival. The responders are able to provide early intervention, early CPR, early defibrillation, and post-resuscitation care.
She added: “We will only be called to an incident for which we have been trained.
“Generally, the calls we receive relate to cardiac or breathing issues.”
Anyone over the age of 18 with a full driving licence is eligible to apply.
‘Support your community’
As a result, she said: “It’s important to be able to provide support to your community.
“The local community have been fantastic in supporting us with fundraising to purchase training equipment.”
Ricky Laird, community resilience team leader in the north, said: “CFRs are highly valued by the Scottish Ambulance Service and are a dedicated and important asset to the communities they serve.”
Contact Richard.Laird@nhs.scot if you are interested in becoming a CFR.
