A woman from rural Dartmoor, who survived a cardiac arrest thanks to the swift response of volunteer doctors from BASICS Devon, is the star of a new film to promote the lifesaving charity.

The moving short film, ‘Every Second Counts: Saving Lives in Rural Devon’, follows Gilian’s journey from collapse to recovery. It shows the vital role BASICS Devon volunteer medics play in bringing hospital-level emergency care straight to the roadside, farm, or home when every second counts.

Gillian collapsed at her home in a remote part of Dartmoor outside Bovey Tracey. The BASICS Devon team were on the moor taking part in a training exercise with Dartmoor Search and Rescue when they received a pager message asking them to attend the scene.

‘When we arrived at Gillian’s house, we found her husband to be undertaking CPR on Gillian,’ recalled Dr Simon Scott-Hayward, the volunteer doctor that attended. ‘Her heart had stopped, and she wasn’t breathing for herself.’

‘We can never thank Simon and the rest of the team enough for being there and giving up their time. They saved my life,’ Gillian said. ‘I wouldn’t have seen our daughter graduate and become a doctor. I wouldn’t have seen them get married. I wouldn’t have seen our grandchild,’ she added.

The film was funded with the help of a contribution by the National Lottery Community Fund aimed at raising awareness and engaging the community in the contribution BASICS Devon makes.

It was created by Ocean City Media with help from Dartmoor National Park, North Dartmoor Search and Rescue and BASICS Devon volunteers.

‘The film shows the human side of what we do. Every intervention, every extra pair of skilled hands can mean the difference between life and death,’ said Dr Simon Scott-Hayward, who is based near Chudleigh.

Last year, BASICS Devon volunteers responded to hundreds of calls across the county, including cardiac arrests, major trauma, and serious medical emergencies. Call-outs have increased up to 30% in recent years and BASICS Devon consistently arrives first on scene 40% of the time, this underlines the mounting demand and the strain on rural healthcare response times.

Most recently BASICS Devon responders were on scene at the M5 multi-vehicle crash and Plymouth’s major block of flats fire, treating 13 casualties. Since January the volunteers have responded to 283 emergency callouts.

Beyond emergency response, BASICS Devon is passionate about health education and community empowerment. In 2024, BASICS Devon held 25 community education sessions. It is also launching a Community Volunteer Programme, enlisting local medical professionals and community members, to extend its reach.

The charity targets areas with longer response times, providing training, equipment and volunteer support to improve survival rates and reduce long-term disability.

‘BASICS depends entirely on donations and volunteer commitment. It receives no government funding, yet provides a vital link in Devon’s emergency response network. Especially in rural areas where delays in ambulance arrival time can significantly affect survival chances,’ pointed out fundraising manager Amie Bull.

Every Second Counts: Saving Lives in Rural Devo can be viewed on the BASICS Devon’s website and YouTube.

The charity is hoping to hold a community screening event in the near future to thank everyone involved.