WightSAR, the Isle of Wight’s dedicated search-and-rescue team, has thanked Isle of Wight Defibrillators, following the donation of an automated external defibrillator (AED) for their incident control vehicle.

The donation also supported the purchase of another AED, for the team’s search 4×4 vehicle, ensuring all three vehicles in their fleet are now equipped with these potentially life-saving devices.

The AEDs are part of a wider effort by IW Defibrillators, which has now provided an impressive 170 defibrillators across the Isle of Wight. The devices aim to prevent avoidable deaths, and prepare communities for sudden cardiac emergencies. The organisation also ensures that all defibrillators are correctly registered for public use and provides ongoing maintenance support.

Dean Terrett, the chairman of WightSAR, said: “We are extremely grateful to IW Defibrillators for the donation, and the ongoing support they are offering. This is an excellent example of local charities working together to benefit the Isle of Wight community.”

WightSAR relies entirely on volunteers and fund-raising to cover equipment and operational costs, making this donation particularly important during a time of rising expenses for charities.

For more information on IW Defibrillators and how to support their life-saving work, visit iw.observer/iw-defib.