AN APPEAL has been launched to deal with a shortfall in the number of Community First Responders(CFRs) in Ledbury.

There are currently three active CFRs in the Ledbury area, but West Midlands Ambulance Service wants to train up five or six more.

The Ambulance Service's Community Response Manager, Noel Orbell, said: "We do have two or three, but people obviously have to work, and they have personal lives.

“Volunteers come from all walks of life. But to volunteer, you must be aged 18 or over, have a full driving licence and lots of enthusiasm."

“Help will be provided in obtaining the necessary equipment and no previous experience is necessary as West Midlands Ambulance Service will provide the training. "

Volunteers are particularly needed in and around Ledbury, Ross-on-Wye and Kington.

The CFRs are everyday members of the public who are trained in lifesaving techniques including the use of a defibrillator, a device used to restart the heart of someone who has suffered a cardiac arrest.

The CFRs will be called by the ambulance service’s control room to medical emergencies in their area while an ambulance is en-route. They are vital in life-threatening situations, particularly in the case of a cardiac arrest, stroke and trauma when every minute counts.

Mr Orbell added: “Applicants will attend a nationally recognised training course covering Basic Life Support and Defibrillation, Medical Emergencies, Traumatic Emergencies and Preparing for Active Duty. They will then train alongside ambulance crews before going ‘live’."

For more information about the work of Community First Responders or to become one yourself, contact West Midlands Ambulance Service Community Response Manager Noel Orbell on 07980 094808, or the CFR Admin office on 01384 215855 or email CFRAdmin@wmas.nhs.uk