MEMBERS of the armed forces are responding to 999 calls in Wiltshire and giving life-saving help to patients before paramedics arrive.

The army and RAF volunteers give up their free time to become First Responders, manning fast response cars so first aid can be given to patients while they wait for ambulance crews to arrive.

First Response is a national charity and works alongside NHS ambulance trusts and the Wiltshire branch, set up nine months ago, was officially launched in Colerne yesterday.

Staff Sergeant Ralph Deegan, Wiltshire county co-ordinating officer, said: "We never take anyone away from the scene. We get there quickly to provide the first line of life support.

"We're skilled in life support and that's the whole idea. As soon as we turn up the casualty and everyone else knows help has arrived. It's very effective and we can make a difference."

He said the fast response cars mean help to get to the scene more quickly, particularly in rural areas where it can take longer for large ambulances to reach.

The volunteers, who all have military first aid certificates, undergo a week of intensive training at the ambulance college.

Ron Weeks, 75, of Warminster, was treated by a First Response team including Staff Sergeant Deegan on March 8 after he collapsed with chest pains.

His daughter Della Williams said: "He was on the kitchen floor and barely conscious. First Response was there in three minutes. They got him stable before the ambulance arrived. They were excellent. It is admirable that they are all volunteers.

"The ambulance arrived in about 10 minutes but I don't have to think about what ifs."

First Response relies on sponsorship, particularly by Fiat, which has donated the vehicles, and equipment from the British Heart Foundation.

Wiltshire has 16 clinically trained volunteers and three trained fast response drivers and it is hoped there will soon be 30 overall.

The only calls volunteers will not attend are where someone is trapped or in childbirth.

Staff Sgt Deegan, whose day job is with the Royal Signals at Colerne, said: "Very early on in my time with First Response I have seen that we save lives. We are not boy scouts. This is the front line and it is real."

The volunteers work in teams of two and cover busy night shifts, particularly weekends.