South Western Ambulance Charity launches £400,000 appeal to upgrade life-saving defibrillators 

The South Western Ambulance Charity is calling on the public to help raise £400,000 to replace and upgrade 288 defibrillators used by Community First Responders (CFRs) across the South West.

When someone suffers a cardiac arrest outside hospital, every second counts. Without immediate treatment, their chances of survival can fall rapidly, with only around one in 10 people who experience an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in the UK surviving.

For every minute without CPR and defibrillation, survival chances may decrease by around 10%. Rapid access to both can therefore make a critical difference.

An Automated External Defibrillator (AED), commonly known as a defibrillator, delivers an electric shock to help restore a normal heart rhythm during cardiac arrest. These devices are carried by local volunteer Community First Responders, who are trained to provide immediate assistance within their local, often rural, communities and can often reach patients before an ambulance arrives.

Now, South Western Ambulance Charity is appealing for public support to raise £400,000 to replace and upgrade 288 defibrillators carried by these dedicated volunteers.

Through its new Save a Heart Appeal, South Western Ambulance Charity wants to replace and upgrade 288 defibrillators currently used by CFRs across the South West with new ZOLL AED3 models, bringing a number of benefits to volunteers and the patients they support.

The upgraded devices will help ensure Community First Responders have the most up-to-date equipment available when every second matters.

Zoe Larter, Head of Charity for South Western Ambulance Charity, said: “When someone suffers a cardiac arrest, every second really does count. Our Community First Responders are trained volunteers who give their time to help people during some of the most critical moments of their lives.

“Upgrading their defibrillators will give our volunteers access to equipment that works alongside the technology used by our ambulance crews, helping to make patient handovers quicker and providing our clinical teams with more information to support decision-making.

“We’re asking the public to support our £400,000 appeal so we can upgrade this vital equipment and give our volunteers the best tools they need to help save lives in their local communities.”

The charity is encouraging members of the public, businesses and community organisations to support the appeal and help equip these volunteers with the latest life-saving defibrillators.

Fundraising activities could be anything from a marathon to a pub quiz, raffle, or bake sale.

Contact Fundraising Manager, Louise Walsh, for support with fundraising ideas at charity@swast.nhs.uk.

To support the Save a Heart Appeal, visit: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/save-a-heart