BARLASTON CFR ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 9 APRIL 2005

BARLASTON CFR ASSESSMENT EXERCISE
9 APRIL 2005

Saturday 9th April 2005 was assessment day for the Barlaston Community First Responder (CFR) Scheme at the culmination of an extensive period of training during which time scheme members, all volunteers, were trained to Trust Health Care Support Worker (HCSW) standard. For the Trust this was a testing exercise as it was the largest CFR group that had been exercised and, in addition, it was the first "outer urban CFR group in Staffordshire. The exercise was designed to demonstrate to both the Trust and scheme members that the team were ready in every respect to "go live". The exercise scenarios were chosen to represent the complete spectrum of incidents and responses that might be encountered in the local community. Exercise scenarios set in open land, in local pubs and houses, in farms, and on the Downs represented a few of the incident locations in which a wide range of clinical protocols were practiced.

During the course of the exercise Trust staff and CFRs responded to a real incident involving a cardiac arrest. The response time to the incident was under a minute and was undoubtedly the chief factor that led to a successful Return of Spontaneous Circulation (ROSC) and the subsequent transfer of the patient to hospital - well done to everyone involved. The patient was well enough to talk the next day and had no idea of what had happened.

Barlaston is located just south of Stoke-on-Trent. The level crossings on the busy railway line represent a significant operational obstacle.	The response time isochrone is indicative of the response time radius from both sides of the level crossing	Trust staff gathered at 0900 on the Visitor's Car Park at the Wedgwood factory and commenced the set up of the Casualty Clearing Station...	...the assembly of responding cars and ambulances in time for an exercise start at 1000.
Meanwhile at the other end of the car park the CFR group gathered for a group photograph...	...before undertaking a thorough check of their responder car. This included the opportunity for a familiarisation run in the car.	While Trust staff were briefed on exercise scenarios, locations, vehicles and call signs...	...CFR scheme members were briefed by the CE on the aims of the day and the part that they would play.
CFRs were divided amongst 6 responder cars to await the first incident.	Exercise scenarios were representative of the sort of Pri 1 and 2 calls to which CFRs might be asked to respond. A number of these locations are shown in these pictures. The scenarios practiced the initial response and actions by the CFRs, the follow up by and handover to a Trust CPO and the arrival, where necessary, of the ambulance crew. Members of the Casualty Union added to the realism.	Some of the 1,466 Pri 1 and 2 Calls around Barlaston in 2004/05.	The first call was to Adderley Place where CFRs were on scene in minutes.
The call was to a patient suffering a CVA. CFRs quickly assessed and dealt...	...with the patient's condition, then reassured him whilst they awaited the ambulance.	Meanwhile, up at the Duke of York...	..a customer had been found fitting.
Within minutes the CFRs were on scene....	...and initiating 1st Aid prior to the arrival of the Community Paramedic Officer (CPO) who was not far behind.	Down by the canal (it was clearly a busy day in Barlaston)...	...Mrs Miggins had been electrocuted whilst ironing and watching the Royal Wedding on TV.
Expert help revived the patient so much so that following the arrival of the CPO...	...CFRs were quickly dispatched to another call in the village.	At the end of each scenario the team returned for an incident debrief...	...involving the assessor, the CPO, the attending ambulance crew..
...and the "patient" whose views of the customer service aspects of the response are vital to making service improvements.	Concerned bystanders called for help for their friend who had collapsed in Orchard Place just after placing a bet on the Grand National.	The patient was in Cardiac Arrest and CFRs were quickly on scene to apply CPR..	...and with 3 shocks from the AED, achieved an ROSC.
Following receipt of a 999 call, CFRs were quick to respond to Silver Ridge...	..where a man had sustained traumatic injuries in a fall down stairs.	A CPO had been dispatched to assist together with an ambulance crew. Whilst they were waiting the CFRs did what they could to relieve pain and suffering.	Meanwhile, a person out walking their dog near Beech Caves had tried to assist a man complaining of stomach pains who then ran off into the caves.
The man was a well known drug addict who suffering from an overdose.	On receipt of the 999 call in Distribution a CFR crew and the nearest CPO were dispatched to scene. CFRs were quickly on scene....	...and with the help of passers by at scene, eventually located the patient deep in the caves. The CPO arrived shortly afterward	and the patient was subsequently extricated prior to being transported to hospital by ambulance.
Down on the farm CFRs had been despatched to a patient with crush injuries.	Not long after the arrival of the CFRs and a CPO, an ambulance was on scene.	The combined efforts of all were required to transfer the patient to a spine board..	...before moving the patient to a stretcher..
...for evacuation to hospital.	We always like to finish the assessment exercise with a scenario that involves the whole group - fully accepting that it might be the only time that they might operate in this way! The scenario was based on a real event of some years ago on The Downs, just South of Barlaston. A walker fell down the banks and into the stream, a stream surrounded by bog on all sides!	Following receipt of a 999 call that two walkers had been injured but could not be located...	...CFRs gathered at The Downs and, with the assistance of the Forest Ranger commenced a search of the area.
First one, and then...	a second casualty were located.	The first required the a difficult access rescue...	...before both casualties were extricated and, with the help of the Forest Ranger, guided through the boggy areas...
..to the waiting ambulances.	After a long and exhausting day we all gathered back at the Visitor's Car Park...	...where the Trust assessment staff gave their opinions on the performance of the...	...Barlaston CFR scheme members whose performance was judged OUTSTANDING!!
Barlaston CFR scheme members have every reason to feel proud of what they have achieved, and the people of Barlaston have every right to feel that living and working in the community they have amongst them a very capable CFR scheme.