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A Barrow charity has received a grant for lifesaving equipment through a social care grant from Cumbria County Council's local committee for Barrow.

Walney Island Community First Responders are a team of local volunteers trained to give potentially lifesaving treatment following a 999 call until an ambulance crew is able to reach the scene.

The group has been awarded the £2,592 grant which has helped them buy three electronic defibrillator training machines that have been used to help volunteers get to grips with a low voltage machine before working up to the real thing.

The team provides a vital service on Walney Island due to the area’s unique geography. Although the North West Ambulance Service, which trains the First Responders, meet their target of responding to all emergencies on Walney within eight minutes, the first responder team will be a big advantage to residents, saving vital minutes in an emergency.

The new team have recently undergone an intensive 14 week training course with the ambulance service and 19 volunteers are now fully qualified first responders. They will start responding to emergencies on the island imminently. 

The funding has also enabled the group to buy gloves, masks, high visibility clothing and antibacterial wipes and has been bolstered by grants and donations from a range of other local organisations and residents.

Cllr Ray Guselli, Chair of Barrow local committee, said: "This is fantastic news for Walney and shows what a difference these grants can make to a local area. 

This defibrillator will inevitably help save the life of someone in the future and this is a perfect example of public money doing exactly what it should –improving the community."

Chris Fagan, from the first responder team, said: "Very often the role we will play in an emergency will be to reassure the person. We can also provide oxygen and in extreme cases perform CPR or use the defibrillator to restart a patient’s heart.

"The grant has been an enormous boost for the group. The equipment we need isn’t cheap but it can help save lives. A launch celebration evening is being planned for the near future to thank all the donators for their help in enabling us to equip and train the Walney Island Community First Responders."

If you are a community group in the Barrow area and would benefit from a grant, contact Neighbourhood Development Officer Alison Meadows at the council’s Barrow area support team on 01229 407576 or email alison.meadows@cumbriacc.gov.uk to find out more about the application process. 

If you wish to know more about Walney First Responders or would like to get involved the please contact the group at walney_1st_responders@hotmail.co.uk

ENDS

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