Community Response Team

Our community first responders are volunteers who are trained by our Community Response team to attend certain types of emergency calls in the area where they live or work. Their aim is to reach patients experiencing an emergency in the first vital minutes while the ambulance crew travel to the scene.

Co-responders are like community first responders but are usually members of other organisations, who when available respond to emergency calls for us as part of their normal employment, in a vehicle supplied by their employer. We have co-responders all over the area we cover.

This is a partnership scheme between EMAS and some of the fire services within our region. 

Emergency First Responders (EFR) are fire fighters who respond in an emergency fire service vehicle to calls for EMAS, in a similar way to a community first responder. The difference is that EFRs are permitted to use the warning systems (lights and sirens) on their fire service vehicle. 

Medical first responders are medically trained such as our technicians or paramedics who respond to emergency incidents in their own time. These responders have the added benefit of providing additional treatment options over and above those provided by CFR schemes. 

This staff group is permitted to have blue lights and audible warnings fitted to their vehicles unlike CFRs.

If you work for us and wish to become a MFR then contact your management team.

The Community Training Team save lives through education. They are volunteers who teach life-saving skills in local communities, for example Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and the use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED).

We estimate that 60% of people living in the East Midlands have never had any CPR training; and 80% have never been trained to use a defibrillator. Both of these skills could help save a life.

There are 30 Community Trainer Volunteers in the East Midlands. They are allocated accordingly to ensure that every community has access to the scheme.

• The sessions are open to all and there is no age limit.
• The trainer will provide all the equipment they need.
• The session takes around 1 hour and includes audience participation.
• The session is free, but we do ask that you consider donating towards your local Community First Responder scheme.

To find out more, email communitytrainer@emas.nhs.uk.