THE Welsh Ambulance Service and St John Ambulance Cymru have joined forces on a new life-saving initiative.

Volunteer alternative responders are trained by St John Ambulance Cymru to respond to medical emergencies in their community.

Calls are triaged by the Welsh Ambulance Service to on-call volunteers nearby who draw upon their skillset to provide life-saving care in the minutes before an ambulance arrives.

Rhayader in Powys was the first community to adopt the new scheme, with schemes in Caerphilly, Haverfordwest, Knighton and Ruthin going live last month.

Judith Bryce, assistant director of operations (National Operations and Support) at the Welsh Ambulance Service, said: “Volunteering at the Welsh Ambulance Service has come a long way in the last two decades, and the volunteer alternative responder scheme is the latest in a series of plans to further embrace our volunteers and make communities across Wales safer for all.

“Our volunteers come from all walks of life, but one thing they have in common is the commitment to put others before themselves and ensure the communities of Wales have someone they can depend on in times of need.”

St John Ambulance Cymru already runs similar schemes in communities across Wales.

Darren Murray, head of community operations at St John Ambulance Cymru, said: “Our community of volunteers regularly give up their time to hone their skills so they are prepared just in case someone needs their help, whether at home or at one of hundreds of events they provide first aid cover for each year.”

To find out more about the volunteering opportunities at the Welsh Ambulance Service, go to the Welsh Ambulance Services University NHS Trust website.