PORLOCK'S nearest ambulance station and hospital are both six miles away in Minehead and often the ambulance has to take patients to Taunton.

This can mean a delay - but now the village-based firefighters can stop the gap and deal with a medical emergency until a paramedic or ambulance arrives.

The retained fire crew is the first in the country to be trained to give emergency first aid to sick or injured people.

And the crew was called out even before the First Responders scheme's official launch.

Last Thursday, the emergency services were called to a woman with chest pains. The firemen were first on the scene and they administered oxygen until the ambulance arrived from Minehead.

On Tuesday, the scheme was formally launched by Chief Fire Officer Martin Burrell and Westcountry Ambulance Service's chief executive Mike Willis.

Local fundraising efforts have helped equip the fire station with basic medical items.

And, now that First Responders is up and running, the crew is allowed to put a flashing blue light on a fire vehicle when racing to a medical emergency.

Pictured is Westcountry Ambulance Service training officer Malcolm Smith with, from the left, Rob Manicom, Paul, Matthew and Michael Keal and Station Officer Hugh Pollard.

Photo: Steve Guscott.