Equipment
Yorkshire Ambulance Service Community First Responders (CFR) carry the following equipment:
aed
An AED is a device that analyses a collapsed patient’s heart rhythm and determines whether or not the patient is in a shockable rhythm. The AED can then deliver an electric shock which may wipe out any chaotic electrical activity, leaving the heart free to potentially start beating normally again. Once the AED is attached to a patient who is unresponsive and not breathing normally the machine will then either advise the CFR to deliver a shock to the patient or not. Following either a shock, or a decision not to shock, the AED will advise the Responder to begin CPR for two minutes, after which the whole process starts again.
oxygen
All CFR kit bags include an oxygen cylinder and high concentration oxygen masks to be able to deliver oxygen therapy to a patient.
bvm
A bag valve mask is used to administer ventilations to a patient who has stopped breathing. The mask has an inflatable bag attached that is squeezed to deliver the two inflations. CFRs are advised to use this as a two person operation to allow for effective ventilations.
pocketmask
The pocket mask is used as an alternative for administering ventilations to a patient that has stopped breathing; it is similar to the bag valve mask but does not have an inflatable bag attached. The pocket mask is recommended for single person use.
op
An oropharyngeal airway (OP Airway also sometimes known as an oral airway, OPA or Guedel pattern airway) is a medical device called an airway adjunct used to maintain a patient (open) airway. It does this by preventing the tongue from (either partially or completely) covering the epiglottis, which could prevent the patient from breathing. CFRs carry four sizes of OP Airways.
bandages
CFRs do not attend trauma related incidents but it is recognised that patients can sustain injuries when they collapse. All CFRs receive training on how to treat serious bleeding and how to apply a bandage. The kit bag contains various sized bandages.
AED
CYLINDER & MASKS
BAG VALVE MASK (BVM)
POCKET MASK
OROPHARYNGEAL AIRWAYS (OP)
