MEMBERS of a Peeblesshire medical emergency response group have celebrated their fifth anniversary.

First established in October 2011, the Peebles Community First Responders have been supporting the local community by responding to medical emergencies whilst an ambulance is on its way.

The team of eight volunteer responders are trained by the Scottish Ambulance service to deal with a range of medical emergencies such as heart or breathing difficulties. By carrying out these life saving techniques, this helps to improve patient survival and recovery rates. 

Since the group began they received a number of donations from local community groups and organisations including the Peebles Golf Club and St Josephs Neighbourhood Centre.

These funds have contributed towards the cost of purchasing six AED’s (Automatic External Defribrillators) and installing heated cabinets in strategic locations around Peebles to house them.

The donation from Peebles Ex-Servicemen’s Club has funded the purchase of a third responder bag meaning the group can now cover more hours each month. 

For any community groups interested in training and learning how to preform CPR or the use of an AED, they can offer the British Heart Foundation HeartStart course.

To find out more information on becoming a first responder please email: Peeblesfirstresponders@gmail.com.