Community First Responder (CFR) schemes are partnerships between the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust, local CFR groups, and volunteers from the community who are trained and authorised by the Trust to support emergency response in their local area.
CFRs are volunteers who respond to specific types of emergency calls within an agreed radius of where they live or work. They aim to reach potentially life-threatening incidents in the crucial minutes before an ambulance arrives, providing early assessment and care to support patients until more highly skilled ambulance staff take over.

Cardiac arrest and other medical emergencies are extremely time-critical. Early CPR and rapid defibrillation can make a life-saving difference, with a person’s chance of survival falling significantly for every minute without treatment.
Community First Responders provide vital early care in those crucial minutes before an ambulance arrives. They are trained to assess patients, deliver high-quality CPR and defibrillation when appropriate, and use their skills to support stabilising someone experiencing a serious emergency.
As a Community First Responder, you’ll be equipped and supported to attend a range of emergency calls in your local area, making a real difference when every second counts. Your contribution helps improve outcomes for patients and strengthens care across the community.

3PR – Three Parishes Response

3PR was established in 2002 and serves the three parishes of Boxford, Edwardstone and Groton. Running costs are kept relatively low, with group members choosing to provide their own transport and fuel free of charge, although recompense is available. The group receives no direct funding, so any donations are very gratefully received.

The Boxford 3PR Group trains in Boxford on the second Monday of every month. Our responders receive regular training and refresher sessions in emergency care, in line with current East of England Ambulance Service guidance, to ensure they are prepared to respond effectively to a range of emergency calls.

For more information, please contact Alister Horne, our coordinator, on 07887 716453.

When appropriate, emergency calls are directed to the group mobile phone from Emergency Operations Control (EOC) in Norwich. Members volunteer to respond according to their personal commitments. Responders must be drivers, have access to a car or similar vehicle (not a motorbike), be fit and healthy, and aged between 18 and 70. A monthly rota is produced and held in the operations book that accompanies the responder kit, with volunteers choosing how much or how little cover they can provide to suit their lifestyle.

As a further backup, Community Public Access Defibrillators (CPADs) are available locally for use by the public. One is provided jointly by the group and Boxford Parish Council and is located in the archway of The Fleece Hotel in Boxford. Access is gained via a key lock following a 999 call. A second CPAD is located at the Pavilion at Boxford Playing Fields and is managed by the Playing Fields Committee. In addition, Edwardstone Parish Council and a local trust are responsible for providing and maintaining a CPAD in the former telephone box at Mill Green, Edwardstone.