South Staffordshire First Responders
The rural landscape in Staffordshire can make it challenging for paramedic crews to reach emergency calls.
This is where volunteers from the South Staffordshire First Responders come into play.
The group launched in 2003 and currently boasts a team of 20 active responders.
They can prove vital, reaching medical emergencies such as cardiac arrests in remote communications within minutes.
Carrying full medical kits, the team can make the difference between live and death.
In the first three months of this year they received 325 calls.
But the costs of providing such medical assistance to the West Midlands Ambulance come at a cost.
A defibrillator costs £1,730, defibrillator batteries £250 and backpacks £97.46.
The charity can claim 45p a mile from the ambulance service, but this does not cover the full costs. The charity has two fast response cars in South Staffordshire – but both have mileages of more than 145,000 miles. Bosses hope any money won could be spent on replacing one, or both of the vehicles.
79 Wood Road, Codsall, Wolverhampton, WV8 1DN
