LIVES Activity
LIVES Responders are trained to deliver early Basic Life Support and early Defibrillation. In addition, they provide patient assessment, oxygen therapy and general patient care.

Why is a rapid response by LIVES Responders so important?
Following a Cardiac Arrest, the chance of survival decreases by over 10% for every minute of delay until help arrives. After 8 minutes (which is the government response target for ambulance trusts), survival is less than 5%. Our responders are located within communities to increase the chance of attending a patient within that 8 minute window, increasing the chance of providing life saving treatment.

Latest Figures:
Since the beginning of 2008 LIVES members have attended over 11250 calls, 155 of which were cardiac arrests with 23 of those surviving. Our average response time in 2008 was 4 minutes 32 seconds. This means that in towns and villages where there is a First Responder group, the chance of survival following Cardiac Arrest has increased to 35%. (To see the other types of emergencies that out volunteers attend please visit Our Volunteers).

Patient Data
The patient's vital signs are the first information assessed by a LIVES First Responder. This information is recorded on a Patient Report Form (PRF) along with other important patient details and treatment given by the Responder.
  • Response - is the patient responsive?
  • Airway - is it clear? Can air get into the lungs?
  • Breathing - is the patient breathing normally? Is air getting into the lungs?
  • Circulation - does the patient have a pulse? Is the heart pumping blood around the body
  • Pulse Rate
  • Oxygen Saturation %
Other important information includes:
  • Past history of medical problems
  • Prescribed Drugs taken by the patient
  • Any known allergies
A copy of the PRF is given to the attending ambulance crew and sent to hospital with the patient. The other copy is returned to LIVES HQ where the Clinical Team analyse and log the activity of LIVES members. This information is combined with the computerised callout data received from ambulance control and collated into STATISTICS, which are regularly monitored to ensure that LIVES continues to provide a highly effective emergency care service.

All patient data is subject to the Data Protection Act and is held securely at LIVES HQ