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The Responder’s Equipment
All the equipment that we use is funded through our own fundraising events, generous donations from the public or donations from other local organisations.
One complete single standard responder kit costs us £2000 – this price also includes the running costs for the kit in its first year.
The South East Coast Ambulance Service unfortunately is not able to fund the purchase of any of our equipment; it only replaces certain stock when used on an incident, e.g. like oxygen, masks, bandages, paperwork etc., but not when it has run of date
Our kit comprises of the following equipment:-
- An automated external defibrillator (AED’s) and spare pads..
- Response bag kitted.
- 1 x Oxygen Cylinder and various types of oxygen masks for adult and children.
- Pocket Resuscitation Mask's X 2.
- Metronome for keeping pace with your chest compressions
- Hand suction unit.
- Dressing packs which includes bandages, triangular bandages, pads for nose bleeds, normal saline for cleaning wound sites, scissors, gauze swabs, Alcohol Gel for hands, cold packs, foil blankets etc.
- Other Accessories maps, paperwork, blanket, torch, Gloves, etc.
- Mobile phone, a First Responders fluorescent jacket
Other equipment that we have purchased
- Blood Pressure machines
- Digital Ear Thermometer’s
- Car Visor’s with ambulance service first responder’s
- Clothing – Red polo shirts with badge– Red fleeces with badge.
- Safety Trainers, optional.
- Oxygen Pulse oximeters – to check levels of oxygen in the blood to tell us how poorly the patient may be, and also gives a pulse reading.
- AED Defibrillator trainer to work with resuscitation dummies.
This equipment is enough for us to provide the level of care until the ambulance and crew attend the scene to take over from us; any equipment that is used is replaced by the Ambulance Service.
Only with the support of the community will we be able to continue this level of service and also enable us to enhance this essential service.
And as we train new members we will require more equipment also as our skills increase with further training we will need additional specialist items for the kit bags.
When equipment stock expires out of date we have to purchase replacements, for example defibrillator pads are £25.00 a set and a replacement defibrillator battery is £150.00.
Batteries for other equipment need to purchase on a regular basis to keep or BP Machines and thermometers etc in a working order, and also after wear and tear equipment needs replacing especially if being used on a regular basis.
If you would like further information on supporting our team through either sponsorship or a donation, please e-mail us fundraising@hurstfirstresponders.co.uk
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