SPIIOW – the Isle of Wight’s Suicide Prevention and Intervention front line charity have today fitted their vehicle with an Automated External Defibrillator (AED), this will allow SPIIIOW front line team members to provide life-saving care in emergencies they may come across when out on community engagement.
As part of the initiative, our front line team members along with our First Responders (FREC trained) will now be equipped with a defibrillator, and should the situation arise where our team members come across a person in a cardiac arrest they will start to undertake lifesaving treatment until further support arrives from the Ambulance Crews
Sarah Adams of Suicide Prevention & Intervention IOW says:
SPIIOW were successful when applying for a grant under the National Lottery COVID-19 funding within that grant we asked for funding for the AED due to that fact that our teams undertake community engagement by foot in areas where maybe road access is not always great, this speeding up the chance of survival for the person where our team can begin providing life-saving treatment until the skills of the Ambulance services arrives.
The SPIIOW vehicle will be clearly marked with AED markings on it that is for public use. We remind all members of the public that a heart attack is a medical emergency. Call 999 and ask for an ambulance if you suspect a heart 
attack.
SPIIOW would like to express their gratitude to WEL Medical, who not only supplied the AED but who also come across to the Island to deliver the training to SPIIOW this week.
WEL Medical focus on building brands with innovative products that are of real benefit to the emergency medicine sector and associated services, strengthening the chain of survival.
They take great pride in the trusted partnership they have developed with the British Heart Foundation as a core supplier to support their life saving work.
Someone at risk from Suicide?
If you think or believe that someone you know or have seen someone who is at risk from ending their life from suicide you can make contact with our front line team 24 hours a day in the following ways:
SPI Crisis Number (Suicide Intervention Only) (01983) 667 247 This number is only to be used if you or someone you know is at risk of ending their life by suicide.
Emergency
If you or someone you know has already acted on the thoughts of suicide please call 999 and ask for the ambulance, giving them as much information as you can
Anyone interested in learning or joining the on-call from line team can contact SPIIOW at hello@spiiow.org
