OKEHAMPTON Argyle and its community has been equipped with a lifesaving defibrillator, through a partnership between the Football Association (FA) and the British Heart Foundation (BHF).

Through the partnership, the BHF and the FA have made more than 900 defibrillators available to clubs at steps one to seven of the National League System and clubs in the Women's Super League to help prevent lives being needlessly lost following a cardiac arrest.

More than 30,000 cardiac arrests happen out of hospital in the UK every year but currently less than one in ten people survive. The BHF say many more lives can be saved through creating a 'Nation of Lifesavers' by equipping people with the skills and confidence to perform CPR and use a defibrillator. The BHF is also putting systems in place to ensure defibrillators are available in the places they are needed most.

Argyle is the latest club to install a defibrillator, giving players, staff and fans access to the equipment needed to help save lives in their community. Two-thirds of the cost of the defibrillator was provided to the club by the FA and BHF.

Awareness around sudden cardiac arrests was heightened when former England Under-21 star Fabrice Muamba suffered a cardiac arrest on the pitch at White Hart Lane in March 2012. Muamba lent his support to the BHF's Nation of Lifesavers campaign earlier this year, which calls for all young people to be taught lifesaving CPR skills and defibrillator awareness at secondary schools.

When someone suffers a cardiac arrest their heart stops pumping blood around the body. They stop breathing or do not breathe normally, lose consciousness and there are no signs of life. If you see this happen, you must call 999 and start CPR immediately.

A defibrillator, also known as a public access defibrillator or PAD, gives the heart a controlled electric shock during cardiac arrest. This can, in some circumstances, shock the heart back into a normal rhythm. For every minute that passes without CPR and defibrillation, chances of survival decrease by around ten per cent. So it's really important supporters and staff at Argyle know both of these vital steps to help someone in an emergency.

The British Heart Foundation has already helped place 13,000 defibrillators in communities around the UK.

On Saturday, Argyle first XI was without a match but the 2nd team scored a fine 3-0 home win over Bow Reserves with two goals from Ross Voaden and one from Toby Gostling.

Over Easter, there are two first team games at Simmons Park with Axminster Town being the visitors on Easter Saturday (April 4) and high flying Exeter University on Easter Monday (April 6). Both games kick-off at 3pm.