Cedar County First Responder volunteers are trained to attend emergency calls received by the ambulance service and provide care until the ambulance arrives.  Volunteers can arrive at an emergency scene in a matter of minutes, as they are sent to calls in their local area.  The schemes operate as a community partnership between St John Ambulance and other  local ambulance service trusts. Having someone in the community who has been trained in first aid and can reach the patient quickly makes all the difference. 
Volunteers operate as part of a rota system from their own home or place of work. They are dispatched at the same time as an ambulance via ambulance control to attend Category A 'immediately life – threatening' calls. These calls can include:

• cardiac arrest
• diabetic emergency
• unconscious patient
• breathing difficulties
• seizures.
•  etc....

 First Responders are dispatched to calls under all types of conditions using their own cars.This worthwhile role means that you can often be first on the scene to a patient in need, assessing the condition and prioritising your response. CFRs are trained to not only assess the immediate situation but also to ascertain a previous medical history while treating a patient. Sometimes they can simply be a very vital second pair of hands to an ambulance crew when they arrive.

And our very own CCAB Wants to call us out, Just for standing up for what we believe.  Only if they knew what they were doing. And how the county counts on us to be there.  The board needs to step back and take a breathe and get of there  power trip.

By John A Wilson Jr