A TEAM of volunteers trained in life-saving first aid is preparing to bridge the gap between the 999 call and the ambulance arrival.

The Community First Responder Scheme is to be launched at Seaham Town Council's Civic Offices on Monday, October 15.

A partnership between the council, North East Ambulance Service and Lifesavers, the project is designed to reduce the number of deaths from cardiac arrest.

The volunteers, from all walks of life, are able to arrive on the scene of a collapse in a very short time. The North-East record for a paramedic crew stands at one minute 47 seconds.

A spokesman for Seaham Town Council said: "First responders are an additional response to the ambulance response and are not instead of the ambulance.

"The nearest available ambulance is dispatched, then the volunteer first responder is alerted.

"This enables the community to bridge the gap between the 999 call being made and the arrival of the ambulance.

"This is the vital time when a person suffering a cardiac arrest, in 80 per cent of cases, need the definitive treatment of defibrillation - an electric shock given by semi-automatic external defibrillation. With the volunteers being based in the community they can arrive within minutes."

If you could spare a few hours for a few weeks to train as a first responder, then offer your services to be on call at times to suit you, call Kevin Fitzpatrick on 07968 113210 or Colin McAllister on 0191-273 1212.