A volunteer-based emergency system under the name United Rescue Cyprus (URC) was launched at the University of Cyprus on Tuesday.

For the moment, the pilot programme will be available exclusively in Limassol.

According to URC, the response system “is poised to transform the way life-saving medical care is delivered across the island” by aiming to bridge “the critical gap between the onset of a medical emergency and the arrival of an ambulance”.

“In many emergencies, the time to provide First Aid is crucial to save lives. In everyday life, the existing structures of the health system – and this applies not only to Cyprus, but to most countries – are unable to ensure that First Aid is provided within a few minutes,” co-founder of United Rescue Cyprus, Nikolaos Zamboglou said.

The URC model draws on experience of United Rescue of Israel which provided aid within 90 seconds in major urban areas with over 9,000 volunteers involved.

Zamboglou stressed that volunteerism had “always covered needs that the state is unable to meet”, adding that by providing first aid, URC volunteers could “save lives”