first responder

[ furst ri-spon-der ]

noun

1. a person who is certified to provide medical care in emergencies before more highly trained medical personnel arrive on the scene:

   a firefighter trained as a first responder.

first responder

noun

1. a person who is trained to provide basic life support in a medical emergency

Word History and Origins

Origin of first responder¹

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

Prezant raced to the Trade Center site and took a position outside the South Tower, along with firefighters, emergency medical services workers and other first responders, preparing to triage the injured as they emerged from the building.

From Time

New Yorkers of all stripes—politicians, celebs, activists, essential workers, first responders—sit for playful yet substantive interviews, creating a collage of Gotham-centric humanity.

From Time

Redmond estimates that the department has given “easily over 100” tours to law enforcement, schools, first responders, tech vendors, media and more, many looking to develop their own drone programs.

From Voice of San Diego

The first ten minutes of Rebuilding Paradise are dispatches from hell, consisting only of footage shot by citizens and first responders while a firestorm from the 2018 Camp Fire raged through Paradise, California.

From Outside Online

Next, Hopkins revealed how the state’s 40-year-old Village Public Safety Officer Program, designed to recruit villagers to work as lifesaving first responders, has failed by every measure.

From ProPublica

More About First Responder

What does first responder mean?

A first responder is a real-life superhero. They’re someone whose job is to respond immediately (first) when there is an accident or emergency. Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs), paramedics, firefighters, and police officers are all considered first responders.

How is first responder pronounced?

[ furst ri-spon-der ]

Where does first responder come from?

The term first responder refers to people who respond first to an emergency or at the scene of an accident. When you call 9-1-1, first responders are often the people who show up. They can pull you out of a crushed car or administer life-saving procedures like CPR.

In 1966, the National Academy of Sciences released a study on the number of people who died or were injured in accidents because personnel weren’t adequately trained. As a result, in 1970 the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians was created to identify people who had received special training in life-saving procedures. These were the first official first responders, a term recorded by at least 1975.

Needless to say, being a first responder is an important job. They mostly deal with emergency medical issues, such as cardiac arrest, burns, and shootings, to name just a few. As such, first responders have to be prepared for just about any situation.

How is first responder used in real life?

First responders can be found in countries around the world. While the term was first used in the United States, today first responders can be found in dozens of countries, including the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, and Israel.

First responder in #Skripal alleged poisoning turns out to be Britain’s most senior military nurse.. https://t.co/p1XOP4Z7fi pic.twitter.com/iQu478GmzM

— Politikḗ (@city_affairs) January 21, 2019

Over time, the term first responder has come to refer to not just official EMTs but anyone in emergency services, including firefighters and police officers.

The staff of EJC received training in becoming a FIRST-RESPONDER.
Facilitator: Mr. E. Coy pic.twitter.com/i0K2eSfl1b

— Stann Creek Ecumenical Junior College (@SCEJC_INFO) February 27, 2019

Technically, though, first responders deal with medical emergencies, while firefighters and cops are trained to deal with other kinds of emergencies.

Rosie completed the @LowlandRescue First Responder course on Sunday. Today her early intervention of maintaining the airway and starting CPR on someone in cardiac arrest meant that by the time the ambulance crew arrived, thejr heart had restarted!
We wish for a speedy recovery. pic.twitter.com/6CEeRdyHe9

— Warwickshire SAR (@WarkSAR) February 27, 2019

Being a first responder isn’t without its perks—sometimes restaurants or other places offer discounts for first responders.

It's First Responder Wednesday, receive 25% off your entree and immediate family member entrees too. Pictured is our popular Cowboy Beef Tips.

Tonight's Specials:

🔸Sliced Bistro Steak… https://t.co/UvDzJMo0vZ

— Garrett's Steakhouse (@GFSteakhouse) February 27, 2019

Let’s be honest, a free meal to say Thank You for regularly saving lives is the least we can do for them.

We appreciated the First Responder’s breakfast offered to us yesterday. Anytime we can be in the community, meeting our residents, we are ecstatic. #CCSOFL pic.twitter.com/NzcPQeeod1

— Clay County Sheriff's Office, FL (@ccsofl) January 20, 2019

VIDEO: A retired 9/11 first-responder is asking Congress to do the right thing and take care of those who took care of them after an announcement last week stated compensation funding would be cut for victims and first-responders of 9/11. https://t.co/ffrcrlWn5Q pic.twitter.com/rHfVxMHtHX

— Spectrum Bay News 9 (@BN9) February 19, 2019

More examples of first responder:

“While many of us celebrate the holidays with our family, first responders continue to work to keep us safe. One paramedic in Madison said the save he and his team were able to perform on Christmas Eve makes the job worth it.”
—Caroline Peterson, WMTV, December 2018

Note

This content is not meant to be a formal definition of this term. Rather, it is an informal summary that seeks to provide supplemental information and context important to know or keep in mind about the term’s history, meaning, and usage.