Penicuik group celebrates 18 years of saving lives

​Pictured are the members of the Penicuik CFRs, who celebrated the group’s 18th anniversary recently.

Penicuik Community First Responders have marked 18 years since the group was formed.

The first responders are a group of volunteers who have been trained by the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) to respond to a potentially life-threatening emergency in the vital first few minutes before an ambulance crew arrives.

They cover the EH26 postcode and surrounding areas, and currently have six members who meet up monthly and have been involved in the group for several years.

The community first responders, part of the 1200 volunteers who support the SAS’s work across Scotland, are a vital addition to the service.

The SAS employs more than 5000 highly skilled staff who annually respond to over 1.5 million calls for assistance, around 600,000 of which are emergency and unscheduled incidents.

Yvonne Mitchell, co-ordinator for Penicuik CFRs, said: “We are immensely proud to mark our 18th anniversary.

"This milestone is a testament to the dedication of our volunteers and the support from our community.

“We train as CFRs to help others who live in our area, whether it is being first on scene at a cardiac arrest, or providing a listening ear and holding someone’s hand while the ambulance crew is on route.

“We look forward to many more years of serving our community and making a positive impact on the lives of those in need.”

Michael Dickson, SAS Chief Executive, praised the CFRs’ service.

He said: “Congratulations to the Penicuik community first responders on this fantastic achievement.

“Our Community First Responders play a vital role in their communities, starting treatment while an ambulance is on route as every second counts, particularly when a person suffers a cardiac arrest.

"We are thankful to each and every one of them.”

Further information about becoming a CFR is available by visiting Community First Responders (scottishambulance.com)