A startling lack of lifesaving equipment in Aberdeen schools could soon be addressed – as the council begins pricing up what it would cost to install a defibrillator in every single one of them.
Of the 60 primaries and secondaries in the Granite City, only seven have the kit already, while another two primaries have access to one in another building on the same site.
Around the UK, around 270 children die every year due to sudden cardiac arrest.
But the chances of survival can be as high as 75% with correct defibrillation.
Aberdeen City Council has already signed up to a charity drive to have every school leaver gaining the knowledge of how to perform CPR.
Councillors have now tasked officials with pricing up the major citywide installation, with a view to adopting it as council policy potentially come March’s budget day.
‘We have to look after all our people’
And Councillor Marie Boulton’s motion gained unanimous backing after she agreed to expand the work to also include the city’s sheltered housing.
Agreeing to the change, she said it was important “to look after all our people”.
Only one in 10 people survive an out of hospital cardiac arrest in Scotland – so the city’s initiative has been hailed by the British Heart Foundation’s Scottish chief, James Jopling.
He told us: “A cardiac arrest is one of the most serious medical emergencies.
“Defibrillators are a key link in the chain of survival but the most important thing when someone has a cardiac arrest is to act fast – every second counts.
“Alongside calling 999, it’s vital to start CPR straight away as a person’s chances of surviving are greatly increased if this happens.
“Increasing the number of publicly accessible defibrillators in our communities can help improve survival rates but only if the emergency services know where they are.
“That is why it is so important defibrillators are registered on the Circuit – so that in those crucial moments after a cardiac arrest, the emergency call handler can give directions to the nearest one and they can be found easily to help save lives.”
Council officials will put together a business case for the purchase of the 53 defibrillators, as well as installation, cost of upkeep and training requirements for the budget meeting March 7.
They will also look for ways of finding funding to pay for the lifesaving expansion.