A deal has been signed to allow firefighters to respond to emergency cardiac arrest cases across Salford and Greater Manchester.
It will see fire crews attending medical emergencies if they are closer to the scene than a paramedic.
Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service signed the agreement at Irlam fire and ambulance station, with the scheme due to start on Tuesday 15 September.
The North West Ambulance Service has a target response time of eight minutes for ‘red one’ and ‘red two’ calls – the most serious and life-threatening emergencies.
Last year, it managed to send ambulances to 75.9% of cases within the time limit.
But the new system, where fire crews can also respond to cardiac arrest, could save hundreds of lives a year.
