24-hour defibrillator installed in Dartmoor community to support emergency response

A 24-hour public access defibrillator has been installed at Belstone Village Hall, offering a potentially lifesaving resource to both residents and visitors in the Dartmoor village.

The installation is part of a national partnership between Royal Mail and the British Heart Foundation (BHF), which aims to increase access to defibrillators and improve cardiac arrest survival rates across the UK.

Local resident and village hall committee member Kevin Vogan led the application for the device after attending a first aid course.

He said the session left him concerned about how long it could take for emergency services to reach someone in need.

Mr Vogan, who suffered a heart attack in 2019, added: “I was visiting my daughter who lives in Surrey,” he said. 

“I woke up at four o’clock in the morning with chest pains and a cold sweat. Luckily for me, my son in law was able to drive me to the local hospital which was only five minutes away.

“I was fortunate enough to be able to get treatment very quickly, but the experience really brought home to me how important it is in a rural area like Belstone that we’re prepared for this type of emergency.

“We have around 250 people living in the village which is a very popular starting point for walkers in the national park. So, it is very good to know that we have the defibrillator and that we can give people the greatest chance of survival if there is an emergency.”

The British Heart Foundation has said that there are around 30,000 cardiac arrests outside of hospitals in the UK each year, with fewer than one in ten people surviving. 

The chance of survival can more than double with immediate CPR and access to a defibrillator.

The Royal Mail and BHF partnership, now in its second year, has already raised £1 million and helped install hundreds of defibrillators nationwide.

Greg Sage, Royal Mail’s Deputy Director of Corporate Affairs, said: “Royal Mail has been a trusted presence on the UK’s doorsteps and at the heart of communities for over 500 years. Our commitment to delivering for our customers and society extends beyond our core services. Partnerships like this one with the BHF are a testament to that. Raising £1 million in just two years is an extraordinary achievement, and it’s a direct result of the passion and dedication of our 130,000 colleagues across the country. We’re excited about the future and the lasting, positive impact we’ll continue to make together.”

BHF Chief Executive Dr Charmaine Griffiths said: “Thanks to the incredible fundraising efforts of Royal Mail colleagues the partnership has raised £1 million for the British Heart Foundation, providing essential support for thousands of people in local communities. This comes at a time when the BHF has never been more needed. 

“Every penny of this £1millon will support the BHF’s Community Hearts Programme, placing defibrillators in communities across the UK, increasing the support of our Heart Helpline, building on our heart health information, and training more young people in the lifesaving skill of CPR than ever before. I can’t wait to see what the second half of our partnership brings.”