NWAS CFRs

About CFRs

Community First Responders (CFRs) are an integral part of patient care. They are volunteers, trained and dispatched to deal with emergencies prior to the arrival of an ambulance, able to provide early interventions in those crucial first minutes of an emergency.

The CFRs operate across the whole of the North West of England in both rural and urban areas, and are a crucial part of the Chain of Survival. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic they responded to medical 999 emergencies. CFRs have been undertaking and helping with a host of new duties in addition to responding to emergencies.

Community First Responders (CFRs) are an integral part of patient care. They are volunteers, trained by NWAS Paramedics and EMT’s and dispatched to medical emergencies prior to the arrival of an ambulance, able to provide early interventions in those crucial first minutes of an emergency, in many cases saving lives and making a difference to the patients that they attend.

Different Types of CFRs...

There are two different types of CFRs volunteering in communities:

Community First Responders (CFR) are trained to use an AED, oxygen, handheld suction, tympanic/infrared thermometer, mechanical blood pressure, pulse oximetry to be able to take patient observations and wound dressings.

Extended Community First Responders (ECFR) have additional equipment and are trained and assessed by NWAS clinical staff to check blood glucose levels and if required administer dextrose gel. They are also equipped with cervical collars and CAT tourniquets. For cardiac related chest pain they can administer 300mg aspirin. They can also administer Entonox if needed to control pain levels where appropriate.