In a bid to equip Shepton Mallet residents with life-saving skills, a free defibrillator training session is being held on Tuesday, 9th January 2024.

The session, hosted by South Western Ambulance Service, will take place at 18:00 in the Council Chamber at Shape on Cannards Grave Road.

The aim of the training is to educate the community on how to use a defibrillator effectively, as quick intervention can be critical. According to medical experts, a victim's chance of survival diminishes by 7 to 10 percent for every minute that defibrillation is delayed.

Brain damage can also start to occur within four to five minutes if a heart stops beating and no intervention is made.

Shepton Mallet has three publicly accessible defibrillators, which have been installed to be used by any member of the public in the case of an emergency. The upcoming training session will offer hands-on experience and provide attendees with the knowledge needed to operate these life-saving devices.

The initiative aims to enable more community members to feel confident in using the defibrillators during emergencies.

Anyone interested in participating in this potentially life-saving training is encouraged to fill in the registration form.