If \((X,\cal T) \) is a first countable topological space and \((\cal B(x))_{x\in X}\) is a family such that for all \(x \in X\), \(\cal B(x)\) is a local base at \(x\), then there is a family \(( \cal V(x))_{x\in X}\) such that for every \(x \in X\), \(\cal V(x)\) is a countable local base at \(x\) and \(\cal V(x) \subseteq \cal B(x)\).