The British Heart Foundation is backing an innovative scheme to save lives in Bovey Tracey.

Each day, one in 300,000 people dies of a heart attack. Heart attacks kill when there is a lack of rapid treatment – the first four minutes after an attack are crucial. The government target is for 75 per cent of ambulances on category A callouts to reach Bovey Tracey in eight minutes. Now a new scheme for the town, organised by PC Ian Hutchings, promises Bovey Tracey heart attack victims much faster treatment. PC Hutchings has raised sufficient money to buy two defibrillators – machines that shock an irregularly beating heart back into the correct rhythm – and is now training Bovey residents to use them. 'I aim to train 100 people in Bovey,' said PC Hutchings. 'The defibrillators will be kept at the Dolphin Hotel and Cromwell Arms Hotel, easily accessible for use in the community from 7.30am to 11.30pm.' In any emergency it is hoped that one of the 100 trained operators will be in the vicinity to assist. The defibrillators are impressive in action. They give oral instructions to the operator: 'Do not touch the patient', and include the full resuscitation procedure – 'Pinch nose. Lift chest. Give two full breaths. Depress chest 5cm'. They sound a beat to give the correct time for each chest compression, and are set up to give instructions for a variety of different scenarios. 'The defibrillators are 99.9 per cent safe once they are connected,' said PC Hutchings. 'They can only shock when the heart is in a certain state, and will be receptive to the shock. They can also be used with oxygen cylinders and supply 80 to 90 per cent oxygen to the patient.' The defibrillators are almost foolproof, according to the ambulance service, which supports their use. 'If we could have a defibrillator on every street corner, we would,' said an ambulance spokesman. 'Early treatment saves lives.' Mr Hutchings is an experienced life saver. He has used the defibrillators on elderly people suffering heart attacks, and teaches life saving at the Bovey swimming pool – he is a national teacher assessor for the Royal Life Saving Society. PC Hutchings is offering training in the use of the defibrillators at a cost of £22 for a seven-hour course. This includes an instruction book, a qualification certificate that is valid for two years, and coffee, tea and a hot meal during the training day. There are also 20 subsidised places on the training. Anyone interested in training to use the defibrillators should email him at [email protected]">[email protected], or give their name, address and contact number at the Dolphin or the Cromwell Arms. 'I really hope this scheme works well in Bovey Tracey,' said PC Hutchings. 'It has been sponsored by the town council, Bovey Tracey Freemasons, Town Hall Garage, the Cromwell Arms and the Dolphin. 'Half the cost was met by the British Heart Foundation (BHF). We really need this equipment in the town – it will undoubtedly save lives.' PC Hutchings is married with three teenage children, and lives in Bovey Tracey, where he is also chairman of the carnival society.