Keith Parker's job with Yorkshire Ambulance Service (YAS) can mean the difference between life and death.

Keith has been volunteering for the service since March 2009 and his role is community First Responder (CFR).

He gives up on average 140 hours each month to be on call and attend emergencies in Darton and Kexborough, always with back up from a Rapid Response Vehicle (RRV) or ambulance.

When someone rings 999, those vital minutes between the call and the ambulance arriving can seem like a lifetime, so having Keith there can make a real difference

Keith, of Strafford Street, Darton, has been nominated as Emergency Services Worker of the Year in the Proud of Barnsley awards.

His nominator and trainer Warren Bostock, of Sheffield, said Keith had experienced a number of cardiac arrest incidents. He was once on duty with his daughter Anna - who also used to be a CFR - when they got a call from a man who had collapsed on a railway bridge.

On arrival, there were no signs of life so they connected the defibrillator to the patient and delivered a shock, with more given on the way to hospital in the ambulance. The patient made a full recovery.

Warren said: "It's safe to say if it wasn't for the actions of Keith and Anna the outcome could have been a lot different. They later had the opportunity to meet the gentleman whose life they helped to save.

"I would say that Keith is a shining example and a pleasure to work with."

Would you like to nominate someone in the emergency services for a Proud of Barnsley award? If so, visit www.barnsley-chronicle.co.uk/proudofbarnsley or call 734459.