EVERY minute a cardiac arrest patient is left without first aid slices 10 per cent off their chances of survival.

Community first responders (CFRs) aim to bridge the gap between the 999 call and an ambulance arriving with vital help.

Armed with defibrillators and breathing aids, a CFR can make the difference between life and death.

There are currently four volunteers operating in Witney, with up to 60 in West Oxfordshire. So far this year, the Witney responders alone have been responsible for saving four lives – and potentially many more.

Community responder officer Ian Jones, who is a paramedic, said: “It’s impossible to say realistically how many people we have saved by giving them oxygen, stopping them from going into cardiac arrest, as it’s also the effect of somebody walking into the room in a NHS uniform and it’s the relief.”

For a town the size of Witney Mr Jones, who trains CFRs but is constantly on call himself, would like to see double the number of volunteers.

In Witney, the volunteers are called out to between 10 and 20 life-threatening incidents a week, working about 15-20 hours a week each.

Community responder Erica Cowley, of Newlands Mill, Witney, is on call when she is not working as a trainee ambulance technician.

The mother-of-three said: “It’s 50/50 whether we make it there before the ambulance, but when we do get there before we are usually able to make quite a difference by using oxygen, talking to the patients, being sympathetic.”

The NHS project was set up in 2001.

Responders can pick which hours they are on call and are contacted by South Central Ambulance Service when there is a life-threatening incident close to their homes. They aim to be able to get to the patient quicker than the ambulance’s target of eight minutes.

Responders, who must be aged 18 or over and have a full driving licence, have no exemptions from normal traffic rules but can often find shortcuts, due to their local knowledge.

There is no set number of hours volunteers work but when they are on call, they usually stay within a few miles of home in case of an emergency.

Phil Simmonds, 49, of Deer Park, Witney, volunteers as a community responder when he is not working as a hygiene supervisor at a chicken hatchery.

He said: “It’s care in the community.

“I’ve gone to jobs at 3am and then gone into work at 4am but you don’t think about it at the time as it’s knowing you can make a difference.

“I think every single person should be trained in some form of first aid.”

Volunteers are given an initial two days of training, where they learn how to use the equipment.

There are monthly training days, including fortnightly drop-in sessions with Mr Jones, and every responder has refresher training every six months.

Mr Jones, 38, said: “People who become responders are very community-minded, and want to help out in the local area without giving a specific number of hours a week. No previous experience is necessary.”

Mrs Cowley, 44, added: “It’s a community project and it’s putting something back into your community, it’s an absolute privilege to do.

“It’s thrilling to know that you have helped someone prior to the ambulance arriving.”

For more details visit scas-responders.info