What we do

Local help in the first critical minutes

Dingle Heart Safe is a highly trained Community First Responder (CFR) scheme, directly linked to the National Ambulance Service. We provide local emergency support where geographical distance might delay professional medical help.

A volunteer holds up a training defibrillator while explaining it to workshop participants
Showing how an AED works at one of our community workshops

Core operations

Dispatched alongside the ambulance

When we are called

When a 999 or 112 call is made in or around Dingle for specific life-threatening emergencies, the ambulance control centre automatically dispatches our on-call volunteers at the same time as the ambulance.

The emergencies we respond to

  • Cardiac arrest: providing immediate CPR and deploying an AED to restart the heart.
  • Chest pain: monitoring the patient, providing reassurance and preparing for sudden deterioration.
  • Choking: performing manoeuvres to clear airway obstructions.
  • Stroke: identifying symptoms early to ensure rapid hospital transport.

The AED network

Defibrillators we manage and maintain

We manage and maintain a network of public-access AEDs in and around Dingle.

See where every one is on the map, or let your phone pick the closest and open directions in Google Maps.

AED Locations Find my nearest AED See the AED map
A yellow public-access AED cabinet on the wall of a green pub front, beside a red door
A public-access AED cabinet on a pub front

Community training

A local hub for emergency preparedness

Beyond emergency response, we run community training sessions so that members of the public can act with confidence.

  • Basic life support
  • How to perform CPR
  • How to use a public-access AED confidently
A workshop participant practises chest compressions on a manikin while two nursing students watch
Students at Sacred Heart University, Dingle, guiding hands-on CPR practice

The chain of survival

We secure the first links in the chain

Because our volunteers live within the community, we can frequently arrive on the scene within minutes, often before the ambulance can navigate rural roads. We do not replace paramedics: our essential role is to sustain life and prevent deterioration during those critical early moments, securing the initial links in the chain of survival.

  1. Early recognition: call 112 or 999

    Someone spots the emergency and makes the call, and ambulance control dispatches the ambulance and our volunteers together.

  2. Early CPR

    Our responders provide immediate CPR to sustain life until the ambulance arrives.

  3. Early defibrillation

    We deploy an AED to restart the heart as early as possible.

  4. Early advanced care: the ambulance crew

    Paramedics take over when they arrive, and we hand over with vital updates on the patient.

Who we are Resources