New Page 15th December 2008
At KSE, we take Health and Safety very seriously and are aware of our relatively remote location when it comes to response by the emergency services which are based some distance from Kirkby Stephen. With this in mind, we have taken action to ensure that we provide high quality first aid and our Medical Director, Dr Sue Jones, is an ITLS (International Trauma and Life Support) provider. We have a group of volunteers trained in basic first aid and we have raised funding for an automatic electronic defibrillator (AED) for use on the site.
AED devices have revolutionised survival from out of hospital cardiac arrest (heart attacks) and are simple to use after training. The devices that we have on site have been endorsed by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) who raise valuable funds to provide AED in addition to a wide range of services for people with heart disease. Please visit the BHF website for more details.
We are working with the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) to upskill our volunteers and will be undertaking training in AED use in February 2009. The other project that we are involved in is the establishment of a Community First Responder Unit for Kirkby Stephen and the surrounding area. We have made the East station available to NWAS to run training courses for people interested in becoming a First Responder and, at our Santa Event in 2008, the Community Defibrillator Officer, Billy Cairns, had a stall providing information about the scheme. We need a minimum of 6 people to run a first responder course and if you are willing to undergo training to learn how to save a life and help your local community, please email the SRC medical director.
Community First Responders are an intrinsic part of the NWAS. Responders do not replace dispatching an ambulance, but are uniquely placed within their local area to respond rapidly and attend to provide vital life-saving treatment. Responders work as part of a local team. They are on call and are disptached when an emergency life-threatening call is received by the ambulance service. They are trained to deal with life-threatening conditions. They carry equipment such as oxygen and an AED. To be a Community First Responder, you must be over 18, a car owner with a UK driving licence without endorsement and be prepared to undergo training. For further information, please follow the link to the First Responder webpage.
First Aid has a long tradition with people at KSE and the photograph below shows the winning Railway First Aid Team from the 1950's which was captained by David Binks.
Back left to right: Bill Taylor, Tommy Hunter, Albert Thorogood, Dick Alderson, Alf Richardson. Front: David Binks.
Photograph courtesy of Bill Taylor
