PARAMEDIC bikers could mean the difference between life and death, a recent study has revealed. The results of a pilot scheme showed how paramedics on motorbikes and in cars arrived at the scene of a life threatening situations vital minutes before ambulances. Now, Lancashire's ambulance bosses say they looking at supplementing their crews' traditional mode of transport. One paramedic biker arrived six minutes before the ambulance and was able to give oxygen to a patient who had stopped breathing. David Hill, chief executive of the Lancashire Ambulance Service, said: "The depletion of oxygen to the major organs would result on death without intervention. The paramedic arrived on his motorcycle and used his resuscitators to provide oxygen to the patient. The ambulance arrived six minutes later and those six minutes would certainly make the difference between life and death."

In total paramedics on motorbikes and cars arrived at more than 50 per cent of calls faster than the ambulance.

"Initial results show that the number and type of calls which the single-manned fast response vehicles responded to were quicker than the traditional ambulance.

"It demonstrated a tremendous potential for saving lives so much so that we are exploring ways of providing rapid response vehicles for the whole county," added Mr Hill.

The six week scheme was carried out in Preston and West Lancashire in town & country conditions last year.

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