'˜Public' life saver roll-out

Housed in special cabinets that the public have access to in Halifax every hour of every day, the first defibrillator was installed outside Greenroyd Bowling Club and members of the bowling club attended a training session on the use of defibrillators to save people’s lives with John Spikings from West Yorkshire Ambulance Service.

The equipment was funded by Halifax Calder with support from the Bowling Club.

A second defibrillator is to be installed in the Westgate shopping arcade in the next few days.

This defibrillator will again be funded by Rotary with support from O&C Estates Management, who are the landlords of the Westgate Shopping Arcade.

Andrew Bateman, President of Halifax Calder Rotary, said: “It is important to install this vital, potentially life saving equipment, in public places so that it is available 24 hours a day, every day.

“There are many defibrillators inside buildings, shops and offices but they are only available when open and most people do not know where they are located.

“By housing this vital equipment in special secure boxes on the outside of buildings, it is hoped that more lives can be saved. In the case of an emergency, a member of the public only needs to telephone 999 and the ambulance service will alert them to where the nearest defibrillator is located. As the defibrillators are ‘automatic’ anyone can operate one even if they haven’t had any training.”

Rotary is planning to hold further training events in the town centre in conjunction with west Yorkshire Ambulance Service.