Community Access Defibrillator - Ravensthorpe24hr Community Defibrillator

Several village residents have clubbed together to purchase a 24hr community defibrillator which is sited on the outside wall of the Chequers pub in the heart of the village.

If a 999 call comes in within close proximity to the defibrillator and one is potentially required, for instance if the patient has suffered a cardiac arrest, the caller will be told by the ambulance operator the location of the unit and given the code to open the box. They don't have to have any training as the machine tells the user what to do and they will be supported by ambulance control over the phone.

Can I donate some money?

Donations would be very welcome to help maintain the unit and to support our village First Responders. Donations can be made securely online at Now Donate.

Community First Responders are real lifesavers

Community first responders (CFRs) are in schemes founded and run by volunteers who give up their spare time to attend appropriate emergency calls in their own community. They are dispatched by the EMAS Emergency Operations Centre. 

EMAS always provides the fastest possible response to emergency calls using its conventional resources such as ambulances and fast response cars. However, for patients experiencing cardiac arrest every second counts. For every minute that passes without defibrillation a person’s chances of survival can decrease by up to 10%.  

In the more rural and hard to reach areas of the East Midlands, community first responders have a much better chance of providing the immediate help needed prior to the arrival of an EMAS crew.  

Could you be a CFR?

  • Are you up for a challenge?    
  • Would you like to help people in your community?    
  • Can you give up some free time?   
  • Do you want to learn essential lifesaving skills?  
  • Do you hold a full, clean driving licence?
  • Are you in reasonable good health?

If you answered ‘yes’ to all of these questions then you could be the person we are looking for. 

Find out more

To apply, please visit Apply EMAS Responders and have to hand the following information: your name, address, telephone and mobile number, the county (list above) you wish to respond in, your date of birth, driver licence and national insurance number, and a supporting statement (maximum 200 words). 

For general enquiries about becoming a CFR email community.responder@emas.nhs.uk