COULD you help save a life?

The Responder Team at South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT) is asking people to assist them in their ongoing quest to save lives in a very hands-on way.

There are currently around 155 Community First Responders (CFRs) working in a total of 49 groups in the county.

But more are needed and SWASFT is inviting people to express an interest in the scheme and become a CFR.

The team is looking for more responders in Lyme Regis, Thorncombe, Dorchester, Bridport, Corscombe/Halstock, Weymouth and Portland, Shaftesbury and Wareham.

CFRs are volunteers trained by SWASFT in basic life support skills. Often they have access to an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) and form groups, mainly in rural areas, to respond to certain incidents and provide basic life support until an ambulance arrives.

Every second counts when someone is in cardiac arrest and the precious few minutes before an ambulance arrives can make the difference between life and death.

David Toman, responder officer for Dorset said: "On behalf of the Trust I would like to sincerely thank all of our responders working tirelessly to assist us in our ongoing quest to save lives.

"Their input is invaluable and we really do appreciate all of their efforts.

"Administering early CPR and defibrillation is crucial. It really does make all the difference to a patient in cardiac arrest and can mean the difference between life and death.

"There is also some excellent partnership working between these trained volunteers and our clinicians. In more rural areas sometimes ambulances can take longer to reach patients. It is important therefore to identify other ways to ensure that patients can get help quickly, especially in time critical situations.

"If anyone is interested in becoming a Community First Responder or finding out more information about having a defibrillator available in their local community, I would strongly encourage them to get in touch with us, either by visiting our website www.swast.nhs.uk, NHS Jobs or calling 01392 261647."