Defibrillators distributed to staff by air ambulance

A total of 76 defibrillators have been distributed by the air ambulance charity

An air ambulance charity has given defibrillators to staff in an effort to get more of them out into the community.

Thames Valley Air Ambulance has given them to 39 critical care paramedics and 37 non-clinical HQ staff who signed up to take them home when they are not on shift.

Releasing the figures to mark Restart a Heart Day on Thursday, it said 27 of them are in Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire respectively, 16 in Berkshire and six in surrounding areas.

Early CPR and defibrillation can double people's chances of survival if they suffer a cardiac arrest.

"Our critical care paramedics and doctors bring the gold standard of expertise and kit to the scene," Mark Hodkinson, a consultant paramedic at Thames Valley Air Ambulance, said.

"But if someone has started CPR and defibrillation before our crew arrive we have the best possible chance of saving a life.

"Arming our team members with defibrillators and CPR confidence means that while a 999 call is underway help could be at hand when every minute matters."

Amanda McLean, Thames Valley Air Ambulance's chief executive, said: "A third of people in our community would not feel confident performing CPR if they witnessed a cardiac arrest. We want to change this.

"That's why we started delivering CPR awareness sessions throughout the region. So far, over 1,000 people have attended these sessions.

"Now, we are taking this mission one step further, dispersing defibrillators where they can really make a difference: the community."

Details on upcoming CPR awareness sessions delivered by Thames Valley Air Ambulance are available here.