What we are looking to do

We are looking to fund a Public Access Defibrillator to be based at the Rushmoor Fire Station in Farnborough. This is a very central location that is well known by everybody in the area, and it would be accessible 24 hours a day. Rushmoor Fire Station are very keen to support this, but we need your assistance.

Why it is important

With a Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) the application of prompt Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and the application of an AED within minutes could make the difference between survival and death for the casualty. Even if you have an Ambulance rushing towards you, every second counts, and sometimes, especially in winter months it can take longer to get an Ambulance to a patient.

A defibrillator is a device that gives an important life-saving shock to someone who is in cardiac arrest. This shock is called defibrillation, and it's an essential life saving step in the chain of survival. Without a defibrillator, the chances of surviving a cardiac arrest are greatly decreased.

You shouldn’t be afraid of using a defibrillator if someone has had a cardiac arrest, there are many that have been placed around the area for use by anybody and you just need to call 999 to be able to access them. Once you have accessed it, the call taker and device will walk you through what to do. There are also free local awareness training sessions on offer in Rushmoor & Surrey Heath area if you would like to build your confidence run by Rushmoor & Surrey Heath Community First Responders.

A little bit about who we are

Rushmoor & Surrey Heath Community First Responders is a charitable organisation that operates in the Rushmoor and Surrey Heath borough areas and it is made up of multiple volunteers that respond to selected 999 calls on behalf of South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb), either to be there first and commence assessment and treatment or as a backup unit for the frontline crews already attending.

Rushmoor & Surrey Heath Community Responders have also been instrumental in assisting with the purchase and placement of Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs) in Public Access Defibrillator (PAD) sites within the area in which we operate and providing training when asked to do so. This year a further five AED's have been placed at strategic sites within our area, however we are always keen to fundraise to place more. Our goal is to cover every area with Public Access Defibrillators.

Let's see if we can fund this in time for the winter months!