Three potentially lifesaving automatic external defibrillators (AED) are now in place in Council offices. The devices, famously used to help Premiership Footballer, Fabrice Muamba, who suffered a sudden cardiac arrest during a football game, deliver an electric shock to the heart after it stops pumping blood around the body. Statistics show that over 75,000 lives could be saved each year in the UK by having an AED immediately available.
Speaking about the move, Cllr Pam Barton, Cabinet Member for Health said; “Sudden cardiac arrest can happen to anyone at any time and without and AED the survival rate drops 10% for every minute. Sudden cardiac arrest is the world’s biggest killer, with around a140,000 deaths in the UK alone. “
Cllr Barton continued “We’re proud to be one of the first councils to provide AED in our offices and to have qualified First Aiders who are trained to use them. Many thanks to our Unison colleagues, who got the ball rolling by raising the idea in our Health & Safety Committee.”
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