St Albans Community First Responders are volunteers trained by the East of England Ambulance Service to provide rapid emergency care in life-threatening situations. We are often the first on the scene, bridging the crucial minutes before an ambulance arrives — and in those moments, having the right equipment makes all the difference.

At the moment, all of our defibrillators — a vital part of our emergency equipment — are over 10 years old and urgently need replacing. These machines are absolutely essential when someone is in cardiac arrest, and we cannot continue our work effectively without them.

Why are defibrillators so important?

Early defibrillation in a cardiac arrest is critical. When a defibrillator is used within the first 3–5 minutes, the chance of survival increases to 50-70%. That’s why these machines are such a vital tool in basic life support — they can restart a heart before it’s too late.

With your support, we can replace the old devices and carry on responding to emergencies across St Albans. We need to raise £6,600 to purchase five new defibrillators, each costing £1,320.

No donation is too small.

Thank you for your support and generosity.