Crestbannerbannerbannerbannerbannerbannerbannerbannerbannerbannerbannerbanner
HOME        HEYBRIDGE COMMUNITY FIRST RESPONDERS        LINKS & CONTACTS
WHAT WE DOWHO WE AREJOINSUPPORT USEMERGENCIESFIRST AIDHISTORYOTHER GROUPSEVENTS
 HISTORY OF THE HEYBRIDGE GROUP

A TRAGIC YEAR IN THE BASIN

Three fit young men died following cardiac arrests in Heybridge Basin during a single year. The community immediately started to raise money, donating £1200 to buy a defibrillator, with help from the Primary Care Trust and the British Heart Foundation.

Basin Heartwatch was formally established in November 2001. Members were recruited and trained. The Group started operation in May 2002 and it received its first emergency call on 24th of that month. Within two years members had attended over 100 calls including cardiac arrests.

Heybridge Basin

BEYOND THE BASIN

Basin Heartwatch was originally conceived to provide emergency cover in the Basin. The much greater populations of Heybridge and Maldon meant that the vast majority of calls came from these areas. It was also difficult for the volunteers living in the Basin to meet the 8 minute response time to calls in Maldon. Consequently the Group set about actively recruiting new volunteers from Heybridge and Maldon.  In December 2003 the Town Mayor chaired a successful public meeting in a bid to target volunteers in Maldon.


THANKS TO

The many individuals and organisations who provided financial and other support to establish First Responder Groups in Heybridge and Maldon, including:

The British Heart Foundation
Maldon & South Chelmsford PCT
Maldon District Council
Heybridge Parish Council
The Manor of Newland Lodge
The Essex Ambulance Service

THE MALDON GROUP

Whilst fund raising continued, The Essex Ambulance Service loaned equipment  and the volunteers based in Maldon began to operate as a separate group on 13 December 2003. This greatly improved response times in Maldon.

The Heybridge and Maldon Groups continue to work closely together, sharing the same committee and training sessions and providing mutual cover at times when only one of the groups has a volunteer on duty.


THANKS TO

  • The many residents of Heybridge Basin whose generosity provided funds to found the Group, especially to those most involved in the fund raising campaign.

  • The Jolly Sailor for its support of the Round the Island Rowing Race and The Heybridge Basin Regatta Association, both of which enabled substantial funds to be raised.

  • The many volunteers who formed the Group.

LOCAL VILLAGES

Boundaries for the Heybridge Group have continued to broaden. Calls routinely come in from Great Totham and we make occasional visits to Langford, Little Totham, Goldhanger and Wickham Bishops, for example. The total number of Groups in Essex currently stands at 69, with a couple more under formation. This is thought to be about the optimum number for the county since each new group increases demands on the Ambulance Service. So it seems likely that Heybridge will continue to provide a service to surrounding villages.

 

 

THE FUTURE

First Responding can make heavy demands on its volunteers, especially when difficult calls are attended. Perhaps it is not surprising, therefore, that many of the original volunteers have moved on. The Heybridge Group currently has 12 active volunteers, some of whom work as a pair. This is a solid nucleus but not nearly enough to provide cover at all times.

The Group is well established and will continue to provide vital support to the people of Heybridge and around, hopefully for many years to come.
© Heybridge Community First Responders 2008   Back to top