Washington community group on mission to save lives with campaign to install defibrillators

A community group is on a mission to help save lives as it sees the first two defibrillators fitted as part of a campaign to see lifesaving kit installed across the area.

Washington Forge Rotary Club launched the campaign in 2019 and have overseen the installation of defibrillators outside Donwell Care Home and Blackfell Premier Store, which had been delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Victoria Leighton, Manager at the Donwell House Care Home, with President Ronnie Monaghan and Fidelma de Faoite from Washington Forge Rotary, and Billy Broad from Gentoo

placeholder image — Victoria Leighton, Manager at the Donwell House Care Home, with President Ronnie Monaghan and Fidelma de Faoite from Washington Forge Rotary, and Billy Broad from Gentoo

The project aims to ensure community defibrillators are readily available for residents, with long-term plans of having three defibrillators in each of the five Washington council wards.

Washington Forge Rotary Foundation secretary Fidelma de Faoite said: “If someone has a cardiac arrest and there isn’t someone around who can perform CPR there’s not much chance of that person surviving. It gives people a much better chance of survival.”

Sarubjit (Surge) Randhawa with President Ronnie Monaghan and Fidelma de Faoite of Washington Forge Rotary, and Billy Broad from Gentoo.

A defibrillator delivers a dose of electric current to the heart and is used to treat sudden cardiac arrests.

Statistics show between 300,000 and 400,000 people experience sudden cardiac arrest in a non-hospital environment every year .

Washington Forge Rotary Club also hopes to provide training for the equipment, to ensure it is used correctly and is fully effective.

Club secretary Phil Hopps added: “We want to make sure residents feel confident in using the equipment and knowing where it is. We don’t just want them to sit on a wall.”

The idea came about after an incident last year at Washington’s Sainsbury Local where a customer nearly lost his life after suffering a cardiac arrest but was saved thanks to the quick response of staff, customers and paramedics.

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