As Community First Responders with the South West Ambulance Service, Simon and I book on when we’re available to respond to alerts for medical emergencies in our local area where we might be able to help. On top of this, we’re also signed up to the ‘Good Sam’ App, which alerts us (loudly!) if there is an active cardiac arrest within 5km of wherever we are, across the country. When alerted, we accept or decline to respond and if we can respond, make our way as quickly as possible (within legal driving limits, of course…) to the location to assist.
Between us we have been alerted to around 10 incidents in the last year, and been able to respond to 2 each. In each of these incidents, we’ve been the first ambulance crew on scene, although in all cases someone has already been carrying out CPR and a defibrillator has been retrieved and was on the patient – but we have been able to help out, carrying on good quality CPR until ambulance crew arrived and giving each patient the best possible chance of survival.
Since June 1st 2025 anyone who has been officially trained in CPR and using a defibrillator and holds a workplace first aid qualification has been able to become a responder on the Good Sam system, enabling patients to receive even quicker support and giving better chances of survival. There is a smaller geographical area – just 500m – but if you are willing to sign up to the scheme, you could potentially literally be the hands that save someone’s life, whether you have access to a defibrillator or not.
On our courses we inform learners about the ‘Chain of Survival’ – the chain which needs to be followed to provide the best chance of leaving hospital alive after a cardiac arrest. This involves:
1) Early recognition and call for help (999)
2) Early CPR – this keeps the blood (and therefore oxygen) moving around the vital organs including the brain and buys time to get the defibrillator applied
3) Early defibrillation – although the heart is not always in a shockable rhythm, the earlier the defibrillator is applied, the better the chances
4) Post resuscitation care – getting them to the professionals in hospital to sort out the problem
By signing up to the Good Sam app, you can help to provide the second and possibly third stages of the chain, by being willing to do CPR and buying precious time. Whilst adrenaline gives you almost superhuman strength and stamina in a CPR situation, there is no denying that CPR is tiring and we know that the effectiveness of it decreases as responders become tired – so adding your own pair of hands to the situation may provide that all-important break for the person currently carrying out the CPR.
You can apply to be part of the Good Sam responder community you can register at https://www.goodsamapp.org/register – click on the ‘GoodSam Cardiac Responder’ section on the left hand side. You will need to upload a copy of your in-date First Aid qualification (Basic Life Support, Emergency First Aid at Work or First Aid at Work) and a form of photo ID. There is a comprehensive FAQ section on the website.
Once you’re signed up, the app runs in the background on your phone and will alarm even when your phone is on silent, but you can turn the alerts off for periods of time if you wish. Ambulance control activates the alerts when a cardiac arrest call comes through, and the app tracks your location so you won’t be alerted to something near your home if you are out, for example. You always have the option to decline an alert, and you’re far less likely to be alerted than us as we cover a much wider geographical area – but you might just save a life…
