The commitment of West Yorkshire’s life-saving volunteers was recognised at an event held by Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust.

About 220 community first responders received appreciation awards for their work alongside ambulance crews. The responders, including those from Haworth, Keighley, Shipley, Silsden and Wyke, attended the event at Leeds United’s stadium.

Community first responders provide immediate life-saving care to people in the vital minutes before the ambulance arrives. They are trained in life-support, cardio pulmonary resuscitation and oxygen therapy and are equipped with a kit which includes oxygen and an automated external defibrillator to help patients in an emergency such as a heart attack, collapse or breathing difficulties.

Neil Kirk, the Trust’s community defibrillation officer, said: “In 2009 our volunteers across West Yorkshire attended 3,344 patients alongside ambulance crews, including many suffering cardiac arrest. We know that in many medical emergencies the first few minutes are critical.”