East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service's Co-responding service will launch at Wadhurst Community Fire Station on 1st July 2009. It is a voluntary service in partnership with South East Coast Ambulance Service. Its purpose is to save lives, specifically in the event of cardiac arrest.

The co-responder service helps to deliver a fast response to certain types of emergencies in order to increase the chances of survival from life-threatening conditions such as cardiac arrest. On these occasions co-responding teams will carry out trained procedures whilst waiting for the arrival of the ambulance service.

The fire crews involved in this scheme have done so on a voluntary basis, in addition to their existing roles as firefighters. East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service exists to keep the communities of East Sussex and the City of Brighton & Hove safe. This added service neither affects the availability of East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service or impacts on any of our existing roles; nor does it replace the service provided by South East Coast Ambulance Service.

The scheme is particularly important in rural areas, where, in many cases, East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service can reach emergency incidents and administer immediate life-saving treatment whilst waiting for paramedics or ambulances to arrive. A paramedic will always support co-responders as soon as they get to the scene.

The Borough Commander for Wealden, Mark Rist, outlined that, "The fire crews involved in the co-responding scheme have volunteered to do so in addition to their existing roles as firefighters. People with symptoms of a heart attack should receive help from an individual who is equipped and properly trained in the use of a defibrillator within 8 minutes of calling for help, to maximise the benefits of resuscitation should that be necessary. This is natural extension to our existing role of protecting the communities of East Sussex and the City of Brighton & Hove."

Jo Shakir, Responder Network Lead for SECAmb, said "We are very excited about the re-launched responder scheme in Wadhurst. Co-responder schemes are growing across the SECAmb region and this is the latest to be added to the network. The close links forged through working between ourselves and the fire service in this way highlights how even better emergency treatment can be delivered to patients in the best possible time. Working together we can deliver the best possible patient care to the people within the South East Coast area."