999 – What’s Your Emergency? A talk by First Responders for Mersea Island Society

Feb 2026 at Mersea Museum

After a very enjoyable fish and chip supper provided by the Mersea Island Fish Bar, we had the pleasure of a talk by Chris and Graham, two of Mersea’s Community First Responders (CFR).

They began by showing us the kit bags which they have ready to go at a moments notice, filled with everythin

g they need from a simple plaster to defibrillators. The Ambulance Service provides the consumables, whilst the bags themselves were provided by Clacton Car Club. These are waterproof and have several pockets and sections to hold all manner of first aid equipment.

When somebody makes a 999 call, they are initially triaged and cases which the First Responders can deal with get transferred to them. These can include heart attacks and cardiac arrest, falls, sepsis, serious bleeding and strokes.

CFR’s do not get sent to road Traffic Accidents (RTA’s), extreme pain cases, potentially dangerous situations, drugs related incidents, fights and so on as they neither have the training or the equipment for them. The only drugs they carry are oxygen and glucogel, we do not carry any pain relief drugs.

They talked about the difference between a heart attack and cardiac arrest as quite often the two situations can get mixed up.

CFRs attend a 5 day training course with assessments when they initially join which prepares them for the cases they get sent to.

Chris explained the Chain of Survival and how important the bystander is in this

Chain of survival –

First Circle – Recognise when someone is ‘Big Sick’ - look at their colour, how they are breathing and how they are feeling and call 999

Second Circle – recognise cardiac arrest should it happen while you are waiting – start compressions immediately, get someone to go for a defib, up date 999

Third Circle – use the defib as soon as it arrives

Fourth Circle -assist crew when they arrive – patient taken to hospital – hopefully survives

Throughout the talk, Graham and Chris demonstrated much of the equipment in their kit bags and Graham’s wife was a ‘willing’ volunteer for having her blood pressure, pulse, blood sugar levels and temperature checked. For the defibrillator, a dummy was used to show correct placement of the electrode pads.

The audience were extremely interested in the talk and asked several questions which Graham and Chris answered expertly. One thing we could all take away from the evening was an extremely high regard that the actions of the First Responders are essential in saving lives or preventing further injury, especially on an island which gets cut off by the tide. Their knowledge, expertise and passion for their work shone through, albeit with a touch of ‘gallows humour’ thrown in at times…

Chris and Graham were warmly thanked by Marica, along with a £75 donation.

The CFR group are happy to run two hour training sessions on recognising cardiac arrest, carrying out CPR and using a defib for any group that are interested.

Just contact Chris on: Christine.cheetham@eastamb.nhs.uk

Defibrillators on the island can be found in the following locations: Waldegraves Holiday Park, Seaview Holiday Park, West Mersea Holiday Park, Glebe, The Wheatgrain Shop at Waldegraves, Co-op, Mersea Homes, Essex & Herts Ambulance Trust Shop, Mersea Island School, Mersea Outdoors, MICA, West Mersea Yacht Club, Akhurst Court on Melrose Road, Public Loos on Coast Road, Tesco, 2 Grove Avenue, Mersea Island Trust (source: defibfinder.uk). https://www.defibfinder.uk