DURHAM county councillors have agreed to buy a heart defibrillator for County Hall.
A cabinet meeting was told yesterday the ability to deliver early defibrillation was one of the most important factors in survival from cardiac arrest. Reducing the response time to within three to five minutes can increase survival rates by up to 75 per cent.
The cost of the automatic external defibrillator (AED) is £1,325. Half of the funding will be provided by Rotary Works in Durham and training will be provided free by members of the North-East Ambulance Trust.
The cost to the council, with additional training equipment, will be £922. The AED will be placed at the public entrance of Durham County Hall.
The device gives both visual and voice prompts to the operator, making it easier to use in emergency situations.
First aid provision at County Hall is mostly in normal office hours, from Monday to Friday, but more staff will be trained in the use of the equipment to cover evenings and weekends.
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