Campaign will help save lives
MSP backs defribrillators registration
A campaign aimed at highlighting where there is public access to defibrillators in East Kilbride is getting the backing of Central Scotland List MSP Monica Lennon.
The Scottish Ambulance Service is appealing to communities to register the life-saving equipment on its dedicated website.
Ms Lennon said: “With around 3500 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occurring in Scotland each year, and a survival rate of only one in 20, quick action from by-standers can help save lives before an ambulance arrives on scene.
“Access to public defibrillators is therefore crucial in the minutes following a cardiac arrest, and before an ambulance arrives – which is why the Scottish Ambulance Service is asking people in East Kilbride to ensure they know where these are.
“However, despite saving lives, there is currently no legal obligation to register defibrillators.
“Registering these means that when Resuscitation campaign, the ambulance service’s national resilience manager Murray McEwan said: “We are grateful to have Monica behind our campaign as we know she works closely with community groups, projects and other organisations in East Kilbride.
“When someone experiences a cardiac arrest they are unconscious and not breathing, or not breathing normally, and their life is in immediate danger which is why these defibrillators are so important.
“If we know where defibrillators are in every community, our call handlers may then be able to direct bystanders to a defibrillator in the event of somebody experiencing a cardiac arrest and talk them through action to take.
“This is a campaign which will help save more lives and everyone can really get behind.
“We need the custodians who look after these defibrillators to register them at pad.scottishambulance.com
“We are also working with the manufacturers as well as our partners, community leaders and community first responder groups to register as many of these defibrillators as possible.”
This is a campaign which will help save lifes and everyone can get behind