Lifesavers need vital funding

3:00pm Tuesday 22nd January 2008

A TEAM of life-saving volunteer medics who treat victims at the scene of accidents desperately needs money to keep going.

Mercia Accident Rescue Service (MARS) attends serious accidents across Herefordshire to provide assistance to the ambulance staff and emergency expert care for people hurt in crashes and other major incidents.

But its essential role is now under threat because more money is needed.

Established several years ago by a group of doctors, MARS provides specialist pre-hospital care when called by the ambulance service at the scene of an accident, medical emergency or during transport to hospital.

MARS requires its volunteers to hold the diploma in immediate medical care from the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh - considered to be the gold standard qualification in pre-hospital care.

Typically, the volunteers travel five to 10 miles to incidents and attend three or four a week.

Dr David Houston, of MARS, says the area policed by West Mercia Constabulary, including Herefordshire, is among the most dangerous in the UK for road users.

It costs around £10,000 to get a MARS volunteer up and running and then an average of £2,000 a year to fund training and equipment.

To find out more, help raise money or make a donation, visit www.marsbasics.org.uk