Heart of the Community

A disused telephone box on the village green in Buckfast, Devon has been refurbished and put to good use with the installation of a new defibrillator for community use.

Funding for the project, including marking it with SelectaDNA, came from organisations including the local fire station and town council.

The importance of having this lifesaving equipment readily available was recently proved when another public access defibrillator was used by a bystander to save the life of a man in nearby Ashburton.

Meanwhile in East Sussex, Leigh Westwood, Senior Team Leader for the Crowborough Community First Responders, proudly displays a new defibrillator that has been marked with SelectaDNA deterrent warning stickers to keep it safe and deter theft.

Leigh heads up a team of specially trained volunteers responding to emergency 999 calls alongside South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust. He said: “Sudden cardiac arrest can affect anyone at any time. A defibrillator is a potentially lifesaving piece of electronic kit. In public access scenarios, the defibrillators are designed to allow anyone to use them, whether or not they have any previous experience or training. Early intervention from a bystander is really important as it can improve the chance of a successful outcome.”