More defibrillators for Exeter College

It's thanks to a partnership with Exeter Chiefs Foundation

Exeter College is expanding the number of defibrillators at college sites thanks in part to the support of the Exeter Chiefs Foundation.  

The college is renewing its four-year contract with the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust and gaining an additional four defibrillators across college sites, two of which have been paid for by the Exeter Chiefs Foundation at sporting venues. This brings the total number of defibrillators at Exeter College sites to seven, providing people the vital equipment necessary to potentially save someone’s life following a heart attack or cardiac arrest.  

The move to improve the number of defibrillators was hastened following an incident when local resident Mark Walters suffered a heart attack when playing football at the college’s Exwick Sports Hub last year. Despite no defibrillator being present at the time, Mark survived thanks to the quick thinking of two fellow footballers who worked in healthcare. The pair administered CPR until an ambulance arrived with a defibrillator to help restart Mark’s heart.  

The new device being installed at the Sports Hub will provide a crucial lifeline for anyone in a similarly perilous situation to the one Mark was in.  

Mark, who is now back to full physical health, was delighted to see the new facility installed at Exwick Sports Hub. “It’s great to see this new equipment get installed down at Exwick,” said Mark, 56, who had no warning signs that a heart attack was imminent.  

“Hopefully the equipment will never be needed, but if it does then it could save someone’s life. I feel like I’ve won the lottery because I managed to survive my heart attack but if me going through that could help someone else in the future with this equipment then that’s great.”