In May of 2011, the first responders shut down their services. Down to two members, they couldn’t sustain the level of coverage needed for the area. However once residents in the area learned the group disbanded, they quickly took action. Spearheaded by Darlene Norman, meetings were arranged with the two remaining members to see what could be done to boost the ranks.
By summer, a new board of directors was in place, with recruiting and fundraising in full swing. Now the group is up to 20 members, with more in the wings waiting for training.
Funding from the first responders comes from a variety of sources, all just as important as the others. Medical equipment for the truck comes from Emergency Health Services free of charge. The Region of Queens insurance for the group, as well as capitol costs for the vehicle. Recently the chassis of the truck needed replacement at a cost of $17,000. The funds came from an earmarked reserve fund for vehicle repairs, set up for the first responders when they started 13 years ago.
The rest comes from the group itself, which includes regular maintenance and gas for the truck, training and uniform for the members and bills for communication equipment and power for the truck.
It isn’t just government services that help out however. Tim Rudderham, a member of the board of directors, says the support form the community is very high.
“A lot of people have donated time and their services,” he says.
For example, when the truck they used was moved to a new location, they needed a metred outlet installed. A local electrician donated his time, and all the group had to pay for was the parts. They also needed gravel for where the truck was being parked, and the company that provided it waived their trucking fees. The land for parking the truck was donated by Rudderham.
Training costs range from $300 to $600 per member, depending on how many are going through training at one time. Local paramedics provide the training, getting the members familiar with equipment how to keep things running efficiently.
It takes about 40 hours worth of training for a member, usually done over a weekend session. Over the next three years they also have supplementary courses they need to take to keep up their certification.
The supplementary courses also give them a chance to ask questions, and discuss how they can improve their response to situations.
The group also has the benefit of two long time members to give advice, Holly Bolliver and founder of the responders Ron Campbell.
Fundraising efforts started back up again in the fall, with a door-to-door campaign, and Rudderham says the community support has been very good.
“We were very well received in West Queens,” says Rudderham, adding people recognized the importance of this service.
Since then they have also held a variety show, with plans to do another one sometime this fall.
Anyone interested in joining can contact Janet Gatsky at 683-2188.
Responders viewpoint
West Queens First Responder is one out of just six first responder groups in the province not attached to a fire department. Fire services from Liverpool still respond to the area when needed, and also serve as backup to the first responders.
As first responders, they cover a large area, going from the Shelburne County line to Broad River. They are also part of the Mutual Aid service, which means they can be called in to help in other districts if needed.
Since restarting in December, the first responders have gone out to half a dozen calls so far. Every call is different, but generally fall into a medical call, such as heart attacks, or car accidents.
On the way to a scene, the responders get some basic information from the dispatcher on the status of the patient. There’s no limit to how many responders are needed for any particular scene, and if they aren’t needed they can always be sent home. However the typical turnout for most calls is around four people.
Responder Janet Gatzky says it can be a little scary for the patient when they see that many people working around them, but it really is to get as much done in as little time as possible.
“You do the job someone else isn’t doing,” she says.
Paperwork may seem like a mundane task, but it is just as important as working on the patient. The responders record everything from patient vitals and their medical history to a timeline of what they did to help the patient. That way all the information is ready to go with the paramedics, and for them to give to the doctors once they arrive at hospital.
When the paramedics arrive, they take the lead with the patient. However they still work with the responders to care for the patient. The first responders would continue doing things such as managing airways or doing CPR. Gatsky says it frees up the paramedics hands to do things the responders cannot do, such as administer drugs.
The amount of time the responders are at a scene varies widely, with some medical calls taking as little as 20 minutes, while some car accidents can take six hours. However that isn’t what is going through the responders minds as they roll out.
“The priority is to get the patient into primary care as soon as possible,” says Holly Bollivar.
Why get involved?
“It was something that we needed here,” says Gatsky.
Gatsky wanted to do something to help out when she heard the WQFR had disbanded, and came on board. She was also one of the ones who went door to door asking people if they would like to join.
Bollivar says it is very gratifying to know they help someone in the community. Though they don’t always find out the outcome once the patient leaves their care because of privacy policies, sometimes they find out in a better way.
“You can be getting your groceries, and someone will walk up to you and thank you for what you did,” she says, adding if feels pretty good when they hear that.
John Fisher wasn’t sure if he would join when the WQFR started back up, because of the dedication it would involved. It is a big commitment, he says, and he wasn’t sure he would be ready for it.
“And then I went ‘what if I don’t respond, and something happens to my next door neighbour, family member or close friend.’ So I decided to go for it and give it my all,” he says.
It is a decision he does not regret.
“It’s gratifying to know that you helped the public when they needed it.”
Robin Hallett is the lone member from Port L’Hebert, and agrees with everything the other members say. He adds a lot of his family lives in the area, along with a large seniors population, and he wanted to do something that would help everyone in the community.
Gatsky adds it is essential to have people scattered throughout the coverage area, since it cuts down on response time considerable. At the moment, they are only missing someone in the Summerville and Broad River area.
All the members agree without the community support, the West Queens First Responders would not be able to continue.
“A huge thank you goes out to our community and surrounding areas for the support they have given our group, to help this service keep going,” says Gatsky.
