Southampton has been named as one of the UK’s 'defibrillator deserts'.
Southampton is among 10 areas identified by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) as urgently needing more public access to defibrillators.
The charity is calling on community group leaders to apply for a free defibrillator through its Community Defibrillator Funding Programme.
Sam Kennard, community defibrillator manager at the BHF, said: "When someone has a cardiac arrest, every second counts, and quick access to a defibrillator gives someone the best possible chance of survival before emergency help arrives."
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Fewer than one in ten people survive an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in the UK, with more than 40,000 cases each year.
Early CPR and the use of a defibrillator can more than double the chances of survival, but the BHF says many communities still lack nearby access to the devices.
The charity has 400 defibrillator packages available and areas in greatest need will be prioritised.
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