A COMMUNITY has benefited from a lifesaving piece of kit.


Sutton Poyntz has had a lifesaving public access defibrillator installed and been awarded a Call Push Rescue cardiopulmonary resuscitation training kit by the British Heart Foundation.


It means villagers have the best chance of saving someone suffering a cardiac arrest.


Sutton Poyntz received the kit after applying for a Nation of Lifesavers Community Package from the British Heart Foundation (BHF) as part of a national effort to boost survival rates of those who suffer cardiac arrests out of hospital.


Jez Cunningham, who co-ordinated Sutton Poyntz’ application for the defibrillator, said: “The defibrillator will be placed outside The Springhead pub, meaning that local people and visitors have the best chance of survival should they suffer a cardiac arrest. 


“We’re keen to get as many people as possible trained in CPR too.”


The Sutton Poyntz Society, and the South West Ambulance Service and First Responders will run awareness and training sessions through April, using the community package, which enables members of the public to learn CPR in half an hour.


Mr Cunningham said: “For every minute that passes without defibrillation and CPR, chances of survival decrease by around ten per cent. 


“It is therefore imperative that people know both of these vital steps to help someone in an emergency.” 


More than 30,000 cardiac arrests happen out of hospital in the UK every year but currently only one in ten survive, according to the BHF.


For this reason the charity believes defibrillators should be made more accessible to the public and wants all young people to be taught CPR and public access defibrillator awareness at school, as part of their campaign to create nation of lifesavers. 


Since launching the campaign in 2014, more than 1.5 million people have signed up to it by learning lifesaving CPR, and to date the BHF have placed more than 14,000 defibrillators in communities around the UK.


Sara Askew, Head of Survival at the BHF, said: “We are delighted that Sutton Poyntz has joined the BHF’s Nation of Lifesavers campaign – by making a defibrillator available and teaching CPR locally. 


“It could really be the difference between life and death.”
To find out more about defibrillators and how to place one in your organisation or community visit the website www.bhf.org.uk.