Life-saving defibrillator installed in Lawley and Overdale
Residents at a community in Telford will benefit after installation of a new defibrillator.
The defibrillator was purchased by the Wrekin Housing Group and installed by Lawley and Overdale Council. The life-saving equipment is located outside the Prestige Interior Projects premises at Park Lane in Telford.
The defibrillator will be fully accessible to the public 24/7 and have a nominated person appointed to maintain them.
Defibrillators, sometimes called a defib, an AED (Automated External Defibrillator) or a PAD (Public Access Defibrillator), give an electric shock to the heart of someone who is in cardiac arrest.
Using a defibrillator alongside performing CPR can significantly increase someone's chances of survival but there isn’t always one close by. Defibrillators are vital to increase the chance of survival of someone suffering a sudden cardiac arrest. If a defibrillator is used within the first minute, the survival rate can be as high as 90 percent.
The defibrillator have also been added to the National Defibrillator Network, known as The Circuit, where people can find their nearest equipment.
Last year the Wrekin Housing Group, who provide affordable housing for 28,000 people across Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and Staffordshire purchased 61 defibrillators which have been installed outside its buildings across the communities it serves.
David Wells, Executive Director for Operational Services at The Wrekin Housing Group said:
“Having a defibrillator available in an emergency can be life-saving, especially in areas where it may take emergency services longer to arrive. We do all we can to support our tenants, as well as the communities we operate.
"We are delighted to have supported the local community by donating the new defibrillator to Lawley and Overdale Parish Council. In a medical emergency, time is absolutely of the essence and this vital piece of equipment will increase the chances of survival of anybody who suffers a sudden cardiac arrest.”
Councillor Mark Boylan, Member for Overdale & The Rock said:
“We are really pleased to be able to have this lifesaving piece of equipment outside a key building. The community can now respond promptly to cardiac emergencies, increasing the chances of survival for the affected individual. I would also like to thank The Wrekin Housing Group for donating the defibrillator, as well as the team at Prestige Interior Projects for letting us install it outside their premises.”
28th November 2023