Equipment which could save lives in an emergency has been granted to police across the region, thanks to the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust.
About 1,000 lightweight and easy to use defibrillators have been distributed to police forces, and they could make a vital difference in the first few moments after somebody goes into cardiac arrest.
Staff have been trained to use the equipment, but the easy to use defibrillators can be used in an emergency by members of the public with no training.
Nicola Khajavelidze, lead first aid trainer at Bedfordshire Police, said: “It’s vital that people have fast access to life-saving equipment in an emergency.
“The chance of successful defibrillation declines by about 10 per cent with each minute of delay, so someone in difficulty needs to be able to access treatment as soon as possible. This scheme is a fantastic example of how the emergency services are working together to protect people and we would like to thank EEAST for its support.”
If defibrillation is delivered quickly, the chance of survival is about 75 per cent.
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