LANCASHIRE'S emergency services are set to improve once more - thanks to a new initiative to bring Fire and Ambulance services closer together.

Firefighters will become paramedics' extra hands if necessary and will be able to administer first aid with training from the scheme.

David Hill, chief executive of Lancashire Ambulance Trust, has welcomed the venture.

He said: "We want to provide the very best service to the people of Lancashire.

"It's an idea which we have put together over the past 12 months and will extend the fire fighters' skills so that they understand the work of the paramedics and can then help them.

"We will be working even closer for the benefit of the public." Peter Holland, Lancashire's chief fire officer, added: "The trauma initiative is all about improving the circumstances at the scene of an accident.

"Far too frequently, we're getting called to situations where people need rescuing or are trapped.

"The closer we can work with the ambulance service to provide support to the injured party, the more likely they are to survive the accident.

"As the new chief fire officer, I'm desperately keen to work even closer with our counterparts and we already enjoy an excellent partnership with them."

The launch of the trauma initiative took place at Hoghton Tower, where the emergency services carried out demonstrations of how they will work together.

In one instance, firefighters showed how they could enter a car involved in a crash and help stabilise a patient while paramedics carried out life-saving treatment.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.