Lifesavers celebrate their 10th birthday (From Knutsford Guardian)

Knutsford First Responders celebrate their 10th birthday

6:20pm Saturday 22nd September 2012 in News By James Wilson

A TEAM of volunteers which saves lives in Knutsford has celebrated its 10th anniversary.

The Knutsford Community First Responder Team is a group of volunteers who are trained by and work with North West Ambulance Service.

The team’s aim is to preserve life and promote recovery in an emergency situation before the ambulance arrives.

The team celebrated its 10th anniversary on Monday with a meal at the Angel on King Street.

Founded on September 18, 2002, by Terry Mitchell, the team works with the ambulance service to provide a rapid response to emergency situations.

When a member of the public dials for an ambulance, in a five-mile radius of Knutsford, the duty First Responder is also advised of the call and is asked to attend.

Typically the group responds to about 800 calls a year.

As well as responding the team trains the public in emergency life support skills – under the banner of Heartstart – and helps to install defibrillators in the town and surrounding villages.

Alan Parker, the group’s treasurer, told the Guardian the town’s team had been lauded as a role model for the north west.

“It’s a service which is well appreciated by the local people,” he said.

“What Terry did in setting up the Heartstart and the defibrillator scheme became a benchmark for the rest of the North West Ambulance Service.

“They held their annual meeting in Knutsford last year because we are a model they want to roll out across the rest of the north west.

“Four members of our team were awarded the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee medal, and in the past 12 months we’ve had tremendous support from businesses and individuals in terms of donations.

“We also trained our 1,000th member of the general public.”

The team is on the lookout for volunteers.

For more information e-mail adminkfr@knutsfordfirst responders.org.uk.