The "Emergency Response Team Of Stonecrest," or "ERTS"... started up after three people died of heart attacks that could have been treated sooner.

Now residents of Stonecrest, in southern Marion County, have teamed up with fire rescue workers... to provide a first response before first responders can get there.

One year ago... emergency response times to Stonecrest took more than 14 minutes...just because of the size of Marion county.

That time has gotten shorter...but since it only takes 6 minutes for brain death to occur...these people felt...something else needed to be done.

When Stonecrest resident Martha Mitchell hears this sound...she...and the other volunteers at the Stonecrest community in Marion County know...it's time to respond...

"The first one on the scene will do CPR...the Second one brings the AED in...attach it to the patient..."

Hank Linnenkohl is a retired firefighter...he and Mitchell realized the need for trained citizen responders after three people died of heart failure on the golf course.

"She was interested in starting a program that could possibly help us do our job even better and that was a citizen initiative to start a community response team"

That team of more than 120 volunteers...called The Emergency Response Team Of Stonecrest...are trained in C-P-R and on how to use an automatic external defibrillator...to jump start the heart...

Today at the Marion County Commission Meeting... The Stonecrest Community members gave an emotional thanks to county fire rescue for their help jump starting the program... which will include ten of Stonecrest's 26 communities...by January.

While ERTS hasn't yet responded to an emergency when they do...

Under the good Samaritan law...Stonecrest citizen's will be able to provide initial emergency care to victims of cardiac arrest...without having to worry about possible legal penalties.