THE Army and ambulance service in North Yorkshire have joined forces to provide life-saving emergency medical aid.

Combat medics from 24th Medical Squadron of the Close Support Medical Regiment have been recruited for the ground-breaking scheme to operate in the Richmond and Catterick Garrison area.

Equipped with a defibrillator, oxygen and first aid bag, the soldiers will provide vital treatment to residents in the period before an ambulance arrives.

The medics, who are based at Catterick Garrison, will be driven to emergencies by Tees, East and North Yorkshire Ambulance Service (Tenyas) response vehicle driver, Dave Bickerton.

Captain Keith Hanson, second in command of the 24th Medical Squadron, has praised the scheme.

"This is a great initiative that will keep the medics in practice while they are carrying out daily routine duties," he said.

"It's all about being on hand to help others before the arrival of an ambulance.

"The medics know only too well the benefits of early access in the first few moments of a heart attack and other emergencies."

The medics, who are trained in battlefield emergency techniques, have completed their 12-hour "first person on scene" training, which will be regularly updated with refresher courses.

They will operate a weekly on-call rota from Monday to Friday, from 8.30am to 5.30pm.

The initiative is being funded by Hambleton and Richmondshire Primary Care Trust (PCT).

Tenyas performance improvement manager Phil Bainbridge said: "We are delighted to launch the scheme. It signifies a true partnership between the health service and the Army in improving response to life-threatening medical emergencies.

"We are very grateful to the military for allowing us to use their personnel, the PCT for its support in getting this scheme off the ground, and Tenyas community paramedic Pete Shaw, who provided the training and logistical support.

"We have already proven in other areas covered by Tenyas that co-responder and community responder schemes are a great asset to the community."

Tenyas has more than 550 first responders who belong to more than 35 groups.