Pitlochry First Responders

Pitlochry First Responders has been awarded £3,500 to purchase a defibrillator and uniforms for new volunteers.

Due to the rural location of Pitlochry and its surrounds, the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) often has to travel extended distances to reach emergencies.
As a solution, the SAS fully train local, unpaid volunteers who reside or work in the area, to become First Responders. These Responders being local, can get to a nearby emergency scene quickly, and their training allows them to administer vital medical assistance and support until an ambulance crew then arrives and takes over the patient’s treatment.

The Ambulance Control Centre (ACC) deploys the on-duty Responders when a local 999 call is received which they know will take SAS more time to reach. Using their own vehicles, First Responders selflessly operate in a limited-area polygon, which is set by the SAS. PCFR serve in and around Pitlochry, from Blair Atholl in the North to the Ballinluig area more southerly.

Each First Responder needs to be fully-equipped with weatherproof kit-bags containing first-aid supplies and vital equipment, which includes defibrillators, oxygen, oximeters, thermometers, sphygmomanometers and a multitude of other medical items. Responders must also wear recognisable branded and protective clothing. As more volunteers are gratefully welcomed onto the team, the need to provide them with this equipment increases.

The kit enables Pitlochry First Responders to assist in potentially life-threatening emergencies such as cardiac arrests, strokes or seizures, where time is crucial.

PCFR is a non-profit charity so volunteers and fundraising is key.

You can read more about Pitlochry First Responders online here:  https://pitlochryresponders.org/