Call out procedure

Each Community Responder Group will be issued with a mobile phone to enable them to respond on behalf of the East of England Ambulance Service.

When the Ambulance Service receives a 999 emergency call, the call is prioritised to establish if it is suitable to send a Community First Responder to the call.

Once this has been established, the nearest available Responder group is notified by telephone to alert them to a call within their area. An ambulance will always be mobilised to every call that the Responder group attends.

The responder travels to the scene of the incident under normal road conditions and treats the patient when they arrive on scene. Being in the local community, the average time to reach the patient should not normally exceed 3-4 minutes, depending on location.

Once an Ambulance arrives on scene, the Responder hands over to the crew and may be asked to assist. After the case is complete and the patient is on their way to the hospital, the Responder telephones Ambulance control to notify them that they are clear of the incident.

CFR’s are not able to claim any exemption under the Road Traffic Act and are therefore obliged to adhere to all road traffic regulations. The use of audible or visual devices, i.e. blue lights/sirens is strictly prohibited.

If you use your own vehicle you will be expected to notify your own vehicle insurance company that you are undertaking the role. Failure to do this may invalidate your insurance.

All paperwork, including letters for your vehicle Insurance Company are supplied as part of the application pack.