Volunteer heroes have revealed how they saved 16 lives following the funding of a £10,000 defibrillator in Droitwich.

Droitwich Community First Responders (CFRs), funded by the Severn Trent Community Fund, have used this equipment to provide critical initial treatment in the vital minutes before paramedics arrive.

The fully trained team responds to emergency incidents within a ten-mile radius, and in addition to saving 16 lives, they have also provided crucial medical assistance to 200 other people in the area.

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Using their new Lifepak 15 device, volunteers can also monitor blood pressure, oxygen, and CO2 levels, and even restart a heart if necessary.

Droitwich CFR Chairman James MacDonald, who started the group after relocating from Bristol, praised the impact of this essential equipment.

He said: "There was nothing like this in the area at that time.

"But I knew we could make a real difference if we could get the right funding and equipment, like the Lifepak 15 and defibrillator."

The team, which consists of three volunteers with full-time jobs, also provides additional services for the community.

These include first aid training for schools, care homes and businesses, medical cover for community events, and community outreach projects which seek to reduce cardiac deaths in the West Midlands area.

Mr MacDonald added: "We have no official public funding, so without the Severn Trent award we would not have been able to do all the work we do – including help save all those lives.

“We got lots of generous donations from the public, for which we are very grateful.

"But grants of this size make a real difference to the community and Severn Trent made the whole process of applying very easy for us too.”

Severn Trent’s Community Fund co-ordinator Jade Gough also offered her praise for the group.

She said: "We are delighted to have been able to support the clearly crucial life-saving work of Droitwich First Responders.

"To hear the Lifepak 15 and defibrillator has saved at least 16 lives and helped many more is wonderful news and just underlines the value of groups like Droitwich First Responders."