Canvey Island
Community First Responders
We’re a group of volunteer members of the NHS, who are trained to respond to 999 emergency calls and cover the whole of Canvey Island.
We provide early life saving treatment to patients in the local community, and as we work or live on the Island, we are able to attend the scene of an emergency within a few minutes… often before the emergency services arrive.
Being a completely voluntary group, we rely on donations, sponsorship and fund raising events. We also hold Basic Life Saving (BLS) training to the general public and groups.
Thanks for taking the time to check out our website, we hope you find it interesting.
Diane Gonzalez
Team Leader
Meet our Team
When these wonderful people have a break from their day-to-day jobs, they give up their spare time to help the community. None of these volunteers get paid to carry out their role as Community First Responders, carry out BLS (Basic Life Saving) courses or attend fund raising events.
What our Volunteers have done for their community in 2023
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Community Events and Comments
No upcoming events...
If you would like us to host an event for you, drop us a message
These ladies are absolute assets for what you do and the service you provide, to which you have my gratitude. Keep up the fantastic work.
Thanks for attending Castle View School last week, my son came home telling me all he had learnt.
Automatic External Defibrillator (AED)
A quote from the Resuscitation Council UK shows that
“Despite over 70% of cases receiving CPR from members of the public, the use of public-access defibrillators remained low – in fewer than one in 10 cases”
See if an AED is near you… click a beating heart
We want to change this...
… and thanks to our amazing community, local businesses and CFR supporters, we have 26 public access AED’s, the majority of which have been installed (free of charge) by Scott Somerville.
This means that should a cardiac arrest happen somewhere on the Island, an AED should be near by. Having dialled 999, the Emergency Operator will give you the nearest location.
In 2024, we also installed two ‘Bleed kits’, one in the Town Centre and one on the Charfleets Industrial Estate.
These are all regularly checked and maintained by the Canvey Island Community First Responders team.
A list of who donated AEDs & Bleed Kits
Donated by individuals/groups
- Apex Steel – by A&R Motors (in memory of Ray Large)
- Apex Steel (Bleed Kit) – by June Johnson
- Bespoke Couriers – by the Family of Michael John Geary
- Castle View School – by the Staff & Students
- Costa – by D&L Flat Roofing
- Jones Corner Nisa – by The Rotary Club
- Maurice Road – by Terry Morris & Linda Morris
- Nationwide (Bleed kit) – by the Family of Joan Jones
- Rugby Club – by Canvey Island Rugby Club
- St Katherines School – by Tracey Grimmet
- Sweetbriar Lodge – by Canvey Island Carnival Association
- War Memorial – by the Peters Family (in memory of Colin Peters & Joss Peters)
- Yacht Club – by The Rotary Club, Island Yacht Club and Brian & Ann Keenleyside
Donated by the Canvey Community
- Bay Cafe – by Sheree Somerville & the Canvey Community
- Canvey Library
- Canvey Spiritualist Church
- Concord Football Club
- Conservative Club
- Design 4 Print
- Fantasy Island
- GMD
- Hole Haven
- King Georges Playing Fields
- Kings Park
- Pumpkins Nursery – by Sheree Somerville & the Canvey Community
- Saxons – by Sheree Somerville & the Canvey Community
- Waterside Leisure Centre
- Wilson Wood
In an Emergency call 999
NOTE: We are not directly contactable by the general public, we are dispatched by the 999 Emergency Operator.
Our Kit and Training
All our kit is purchased by ourselves, from money raised by events or donations. When its life expired we have to fund replacements. We are very proud of the equipment we have and ensure its looked after to the highest standard.
After our initial training, we continue to develop our skills with monthly training sessions, carried out by our awesome Link Paramedics and EMT. These guys are incredibly enthusiastic about CFRs and the care we give to our patients.
Not only do they provide the highest level of training, but they make every training session interesting and fun, always exploring new avenues to help us gain the knowledge we require.
We thank them for their time, effort and of course… patience.
Supporting the CFRs
You may have heard of the saying that ‘every little helps’… well in our case, this could not be more true! All of our volunteers give up their time for free, which is amazing, but it “doesn’t pay the bills”! Replacement kit, new/replacement uniform and ongoing maintenance of the car all require funding. This can only be achieved with your help.
This mobile number must NOT be used for emergencies, it is only used for recruitment or donations
Become a Community First Responder (CFR)
If you have a caring nature, some spare time and want to give something back to your community, becoming a volunteer Community First Responder (CFR) can be both incredibly rewarding, and at times, challenging.
What is a Community First Responder (CFR) ?
We are Volunteers who live or work on Canvey Island and attend certain types of emergency calls. The aim is for us to reach a potentially life threatening emergency in the first vital minutes before the ambulance arrives.
What is the recruitment criteria ?
You must be over 18 years of age and have a current full driving license with less than three penalty points, and be willing to have an interview with our Recruitment Officer.
If successful, you will need to complete a training course, obtain an enhanced DBS check and attend an Occupational Health Review.
Do you get paid ?
No, we do NOT get paid and are completely voluntary, whether on-call, attending training or raising funds for the group.
Do you receive training ?
Yes – we attend a 5 day intensive training course with the East of England Ambulance Service Trust (EEAST).
We then carry out regular training, Continuous Personal Development (CPD) and assessments. These are all carried out by our amazing link Paramedics & Trainers.
Can you use 'blues and twos' ?
NO – We have to abide by the same traffic regulations as the general public.
How much time do I have to commit to ?
All we ask for is a minimum of 10 hours on call per month. If you are able to commit to more, that’s fantastic.
Do you wear a uniform ?
Yes, as part of our group, we want you to wear a uniform. It’s not only smart looking, but comfortable and practical too.
Do I need to use my own vehicle ?
No, we are extremely fortunate to have our own CFR car, which was funded via an incredible donation.
Are the hours Mon-Fri, 9 to 5 ?
No, the hours are whatever suits you. We have a shared calendar which everyone signs up to, which shows the times you want to commit to.
How do I become a Canvey Island CFR ?
Give us a call (leave a message if no one answers) or drop us an email. Use the contact details below, and we will get back to you as soon as we can.
This mobile number must NOT be used for emergencies, it is only used for recruitment or donations
Basic Life Saving (BLS) Skills
Here is a collection of videos you may find interesting. Each one of these has the potential in helping you save a life, with simple steps that anyone can follow. They are well worth a watch. o