A FIRST Responder in Salcombe is appealing to South Hams Council for help with parking in the town – to avoid him getting more parking tickets while on duty.

Tim Hore runs the Victoria Inn in Salcombe with his wife Liz and was inspired to take on the voluntary role of first responder after she suffered an asthma attack.

Liz explained: 'My husband is a volunteer First Responder for Salcombe.

'In fact, he is at present the only First Responder in Salcombe – a role that is vitally important in a place so remote that even the most urgent call for assistance can be at least 15 minutes from an ambulance, or even 45 minutes.

'Very often he will get called out and goes regardless of our own business needs.

He has dispensation to park on double yellow lines in Clifton Place but this is not exclusively his, and there have been occasions when he has been unable to park there, and so has had to park in Whitestrand car park.

'This is not a great place to park as, if he gets called out on an emergency, he could easily get stuck behind a lorry and precious moments are lost.

'But twice now he has been given a parking ticket – the first was rescinded upon appeal, yet another was issued on Thursday, April 12.'

Mr and Mrs Hore contacted South Hams Council to ask them to consider issuing a special permit.

Both parking tickets were wiped off and the council has contacted Mr Hore to ask for proof that he was on duty when he received the second ticket and also asking the Ambu-lance Trust to confirm that he is a first responder and permitted to drive the car while on duty.

Liz added: 'This a ridiculous state of affairs – don't forget he is only called out when there is a real, often life threatening, condition in a patient.

'Yet not only will South Hams Council not allocate a unique space for him to park while on duty, they are actually issuing him with parking tickets. Bonkers, absolutely bonkers!

'Firstly, there is the issue of him being ticketed in the first place.

'First time round the ticket was rescinded as they understood he was on duty. He has, on both occasions, only parked in Whitestrand because his agreed spot opposite Colemans Butchers was occupied.

'He was in a clearly marked First Respond-er car, doing a voluntary duty in a car paid for by charitable donations.

'It just appears that this whole thing is being blown up out of all proportion and I will not have my husband's integrity bought into question.

'He is a good man who does this work entirely voluntarily, often at the expense of our business, when he is called out.

'He has already been instrumental in saving lives. The sight of a first responder as you wait for an ambulance when you are seriously ill is a welcome sight.

'Salcombe is fortunate to have its own dedicated car paid for by fundraising.

'First Responders are volunteers receiving no funding from the ambulance trust. They do not get any expenses and responders in other areas use their own car, as indeed he does when the responder car is in Hope Cove with their responder. When he uses our family car he even has to pay for his own fuel.

'This situation could be so easily sorted out by giving a defined spot opposite Colemans Butchers and marking it for Emergency Vehicle use – exactly as there is such a spot at Whitestrand for the parking attendants car.'

A spokesman for South Hams Council said: 'The council has every sympathy with the issues raised by Mr Hore's wife on his behalf.

'The law does not treat first responder vehicles as emergency services vehicles and therefore they are considered as normal cars by enforcement rulings.

'It is impossible for enforcement officers to know whether or not a vehicle that does not have emergency vehicle classification is on a call or not. The council does however recognise the hugely important role of first responders in our rural community.

'We have many examples within the South Hams where we work in partnership with the NHS, lifeboat service and fire service to ensure that bureaucracy does not frustrate vital volunteer service assistance.

'In this case Mr Hore has been asked to contact his first responder organisation in order that we can ensure a practical solution to the current issue in future.

'We are in contact with South Western Ambulance Service who are keen to work with us on this issue.'

Salcombe mayor Cllr Roger Moore said: 'The Salcombe Peninsula First Responders are on duty 24/7, 365 days a year. It is a group of people absolutely dedicated to saving lives and they are vital to this area with its summer population explosion and very limited ambulance service.

'It is unfortunate that the bureaucracy at South Hams Council have, up to now, been unable to understand and completely support their important role in our community.

'Kingsbridge Quay Autos very kindly donated a first responder's car to carry all the equipment, improve the level of service and response time.

'The car is clearly marked and is given to the volunteer who is currently on duty, a dedicated space is therefore not practical as the ambulance car should always be close to the duty volunteer.

'Over the winter Tim at the Victoria Inn has been on call for much of the time and therefore the car needs to be close, SHDC have allowed the car to be parked locally, but not in the car park.

'In this world of reducing services and trying to increase revenues this particular issue has been overlooked.

'I think it quite straightforward to treat fire, police, ambulance, first responders cars and lifeboat crew in a common sense manner. After all, they may be saving your life one day.

'If you see the car out and about the driver is on duty. Even if they are busy, they will immediately drop ever-ything and respond if needed.

'I would like to thank all those who volunteer and ask anyone who thinks they could help to contact the First Responders.'