Oundle Community First Responder Paul Brackley receives British Empire Medal in the new year’s honours

A man who has dedicated a large part of his life to helping people in medical emergencies is receiving the British Empire Medal.

Paul Brackley, head porter at Oundle School, has been a community first responder for two decades, having helped set up the scheme in his hometown.

The 58-year-old is named in the new year’s honours list for services to the community in Oundle and the surrounding areas.

He said: “I was really surprised when I received the letter and couldn’t help wondering if it might be a joke. I was feeling the quality of the paper and thinking that whoever sent it had gone to some lengths.

“When you’re not allowed to tell anyone, it’s difficult to gain a second opinion.”

Paul was among a small group of people who responded to the closure of Oundle ambulance station back in 2003 by establishing Oundle Community First Responders, one of the first such groups in the area.

He carried out basic life support training over two weekends and was then on call for medical emergencies, usually arriving before an ambulance crew.

“We receive a notification by phone and we’re sent the location and directions,” said Paul.

“We’re not allowed to break the speed limit but if it’s in Oundle, it only takes three or four minutes for me to get there.”

Paul has lived in Oundle all his life and knows a lot of people in the community.

As a result, his arrival can have a calming effect on the person who has been taken ill or suffered an injury.

“This can help a lot,” he said. “When people are waiting for an ambulance it can be stressful, but seeing a familiar face helps to calm them down and they can start to feel better as a result.

“Sometimes we provide life support or first aid, but often we are just waiting with someone until the ambulance arrives.”

Paul has volunteered for more than 41,000 hours and has responded to about 4,100 patients across the area, which includes Wansford, Warmington and Yarwell.

For the past 13 years he has also been group co-ordinator for Oundle Community First Responders, inspiring others to volunteer - there are usually a dozen in the group - ensuring they have the right training, and fundraising.

The group is a charity and the equipment that must be kept in good working order includes the defibrillators carried by volunteers, the group’s communications equipment, and its first responder car.

In addition to this, Paul assists at HeartStart sessions run by the Rotary Club to help members of the public feel confident in CPR methods and the use of a defibrillator.

He has also been instrumental in the installation of Oundle’s nine public defibrillators, which he checks on a fortnightly basis.

Having helped to bring several patients back after a cardiac arrest, Paul understands the importance of having the right equipment and people knowing what to do in a medical emergency.

He finds it rewarding that people come up to members of Oundle Community First Responders to say ‘thank you’.

“We don’t automatically find out what happens to the patient,” he said. “But every so often someone comes up to us when we’re at a local event and tells us that we helped them, or a member of their family, and that they have made a good recovery.”

Read about more new year’s honours here.

Have you been helped by Paul and his team? Comments below.