A team of life-saving volunteers has thanked north-east community groups and local businesses who have offered support.
The Broch Community First Responders initiative in Fraserburgh supports the work of the ambulance service by offering a fast-response team.
Based in the port, the volunteers can often reach casualties before paramedic crews. And in the past month the 12-strong team has attended 30 call outs.
On Saturday members gathered in Fraserburgh to thank local groups who have donated time, equipment and funds to ensure the initiative gets off the ground.
Husband and wife pair Douglas and Colleen Ewen – who both work for the Scottish Ambulance Service – explained that volunteers undergo a comprehensive four-day training course with the service.
Skills taught to volunteers include CPR, understanding of medical conditions and the use of oxygen.
“It’s a lifesaving scheme,” Mrs Ewen said. “We’re just trying to publicise who we are. The local community doesn’t really know yet.”
When the ambulance service receives a 999 call from the Fraserburgh area, first responder volunteers are called on special-issue mobile phones to assist.
The Ewen’s stressed that their work supports the traditional paramedic system, and that the first responder van – donated by Fraserburgh firm Gray and Adams – never attends an emergency instead of an ambulance.
Mrs Ewen added: “It’s taken a year to get up and running and Doug really led it. It’s entirely community funded and our local community has been amazing.”
Last night Gray and Adams boss James Gray said: “As a local company we are delighted to be able to help Broch Community First Responders.
“These volunteers give up their time to help the community when the ambulance service is stretched to capacity and can mean the difference between life and death for many people.”
More than 20 local organisations have donated to the group and the Ewens wish to publicly thank them all.
They include Cheers Bar who donated uniform items, Meallmore for funding a defibrillator, supermarkets Tesco and Asda who gave cash, a sat nav and mobile phones, and local school children who helped design the team’s logo.
Anyone who wishes to volunteer with the Broch Community First Responders can contact the team on Facebook.