LIFE-saving volunteers from across Worcestershire gathered yesterday to demonstrate their skills.

Members of the County Volunteers Emergency Committee, representing organisations such as St John Ambulance, Severn Area Rescue Association (SARA) and the British Red Cross, met at County Hall in Worcester for the Ready to Respond event.

The event, organised by Worcestershire County Council’s emergency planning team, was a chance for the volunteers to show to members of the police, ambulance and fire services how they would respond to an emergency.

A mock emergency situation was set up to give teams the chance to show their skills in actions.

Volunteers from St John Ambulance demonstrated how they would treat a burns victim at the scene, both physically and in terms of emotional support, while the All-Terrain Bike Response Units got to a man with head injuries following a fire on the Malvern Hills.

Chairman of the committee Jeremy Voaden said: “The purpose of the event is to show our colleagues in the emergency services and the local authority, what we have to offer in terms of people and equipment.

“It’s gone really well. It’s been interesting for people to come out and talk to the volunteers about the equipment and their qualifications.

“In a major incident, the emergency services are often fully committed to fully supporting people involved in the incident, but there are lots of other people who need emotional support or advice so we offer that to them.

“We can support the emergency services when they are fully stretched and sometimes our vehicles can get places the ambulances can’t, so volunteers are crucial.”

Alan Stanley, executive chairman of the Severn Area Rescue Assocaition, who has been with the organisation for 15 years, said: “It can be physicially, mentally and emotionally draining because you’re on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a week.

“We help in times of need, from flooding or somebody who has gone missing. Unfortunately, most of our work in non-emergency call-outs is searching for people who have gone missing in or near rivers. We’re trying to find them for the family’s sake but the water is so unforgiving.

“We were called out 70 times last year. I’ve always had a love of the river from a very young age and a big respect for it.”