A defibrillator that could help saves lives has been installed by the Devon and Somerset Air Ambulance at their Wellington office.

The device for treating cardiac arrest has been fitted to the exterior of the air ambulance's Castle Road office. Members of the public will be able to use the defibrillator in the event of an emergency.

The devices will be accessible around the clock, and will provide clear instructions to the user once activated.

Prompt resuscitation of a cardiac arrest victim is imperative to save the patient's life and prevent damage to the brain.

The swift use of a defibrillator could mean the difference between life and death.

Charles Hackett, DSAA Chief Executive Officer said:

“Our AED units have been installed in partnership between DSAA and South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWAST), with SWAST experts maintaining and monitoring the units, and giving annual emergency first aid training to DSAA employees.

"Having the AEDs registered with the ambulance service is so important, so that they can guide members of the public to this life-saving resource when it is needed most.”

Ollie Zorab, Specialist Practitioner in Critical Care at DSAA and Clinical Lead for Cardiac Arrest at SWAST said:

“Defibrillators are life-saving pieces of equipment which significantly increase a person’s chance of making a good recovery following a cardiac arrest.

Each device has easy-to-follow instructions, so can be used by anyone without training, in the crucial few moments following a patient’s collapse."

Our devices have joined the many thousands of defibrillators which are registered on the British Heart Foundation’s national defibrillator database."

"Taking a few moments to find the nearest defibrillator to your home or workplace via the national Defib Finder website, can help to save time in a medical emergency and save lives.”