Pennard Community First Responders

Minutes of the meeting held on 20 February 2009 at the Community Centre

 

Present: Betty (chair), Bill, Fran, Allan, Linda, David, Jeremy (minutes), Helen, Pauline

Apologies: Eliot, Laurie, Dem

   
1 Minutes of previous meeting (6 November 2008)
These were accepted as a true record.
   
2 Matters arising
  Hall bookings for 2009 It was recommended that we write to Brian Smith thanking him and the council for permitting Pennard First Responders to use the hall free of charge throughout 2009. ACTION: ALLAN

Communications Betty and her grandson have tested a Vodafone mobile phone at everyone's home address and saw a good signal at each one. Consequently Steve Roberts said he would order a Vodafone handset for us. However, since then he has started using a new Terafix (GPS based) phone and has requested that FRs be issued with them. Betty will ask him to clarify the current situation. ACTION: BETTY

Annual dinner All agreed that it had failed to match the standards of previous years and that another venue should be tried at the end of 2009/beginning of 2010. Jerry suggested a summer meal, perhaps a barbeque. This will be discussed at a later meeting.
3 Financial report
  The account is healthy and has recently been increased by a donation of £120 from Don Keefe, Auditor to the Glamorgan Ladies County Golf association. More donations are expected from mourners at the late Albert Hopkins's funeral, where Pennard First Responders was the nominated charity.
   
4 Calls since last meeting
  Those present recounted the calls they had received. A regular problem seems to be finding an address. At night it is sometimes difficult to see house numbers, so carrying the torch can be very helpful, however many houses still don't display their house numbers or have names, which make them difficult to find. It was agreed to invest in one satnav system as a trial to see if it helps speed up the process of finding an address. ACTION: ALLAN and FRAN
5 Format of future training sessions
  It was agreed that all future training sessions should start with emptying out the bag and examining the contents for missing items, use by dates, etc, followed by practicing the new system or protocol for dealing with an unconscious, non-breathing casualty.
   
6 Heart Start UK
  Betty has received all the information required from the British Heart Foundation and will contact Adrian Hughes in Reynoldston to arrange training for the trainers. The course normally takes 2 hours. Members interested in this additional training - and committing to train others in the community - should contact Betty. This will be taken offline from normal FR business and participation is optional.

7 Violence & Aggression books
  These should be completed as instructed by Steve Roberts at the recent refresher training session and brought along to the next business meeting on May 19th where Steve will collect them for inspection. Dave pointed out that some questions may prove difficult to answer. For example there's one about the Trust Policy, which nobody has seen.
   
8 Any other business
 
  1. The visit to the coastguard station has been arranged for Sunday 15 March. Please meet up, in uniform, in the car park adjacent to the station at 10.00 am.
  2. It was reported that the BBC1 program My Story may be interested in doing an item about us. More details as they arrive.
  3. The next refresher course will take place, in the community hall, on Saturday 15 August. Helen will book the hall.
  4. Local Produce Markets will be held in the hall on the second Sunday of each month and Helen and Laurie will go on call between 8.00 am and 1.00 pm on those days.
  5. It was agreed that we once again provide support for the annual bike ride and have a stall at the Bishopston May Day celebrations and Pennard Carnival. Helen to make the necessary arrangements regarding the carnival and Betty to make the necessary arrangement for the bike ride and May Day. All asked to think of ways to jazz up the stall and make it more attractive to passers-by. ACTION: HELEN & BETTY
  6. Jeremy suggested that we get a large but simple banner made that can be placed alongside roads into Bishopston and Pennard raising our profile and giving our website address. Helen warned that we would need to seek permissions to place the banner in many locations.
  7. Helen offered to look into what would be involved in producing professional leaflets, based on the generic ones provided by Steve Roberts but customized for Pennard First Responders, that could be dropped through letterboxes. ACTION: HELEN
 
JGC 25/02/09