The Isle of Man Ambulance Service is recruiting for a new community-focused role aimed at improving survival rates from cardiac arrest.

The 22-month Community Engagement Lead position has been created with funding from the Manx Heart Foundation as part of plans to build an ‘Island of Lifesavers’. The successful candidate will develop and deliver initiatives designed to equip members of the public with the skills and confidence to respond to emergencies, including sudden cardiac arrest.

Cardiac arrest is a life-threatening condition in which the heart stops pumping blood around the body, often because of a disruption to its electrical system. Survival depends heavily on swift intervention, particularly early cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and rapid access to a defibrillator.

The new role aims to reduce health inequalities and improve outcomes from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest through education, community engagement and support. The postholder will also provide follow-up support to survivors and families affected by such incidents.

Will Bellamy, Director of Ambulance and Transfer Services for Manx Care, said: ‘Cardiac arrest is a community emergency, and every second counts. Early CPR and fast defibrillation can be the difference between life and death, long before an ambulance arrives.

‘Working with partners across the Isle of Man, including the Manx Heart Foundation, we are focused on building confident, trained communities with the skills to save lives.

‘Our goal is clear: more people ready to act, more lives saved, and more families given hope when it matters most.’

Karen Chiarello, chair of the Manx Heart Foundation, said the charity was proud to support the initiative.

‘Those first minutes of a cardiac emergency are vital to survival and recovery, and this work supports hearts at the moment it matters most,’ she said.

Applications open on February 16 and close on March 2, 2026.