Shetland Islands Council (SIC) has recently invested in the health and wellbeing of their constituents by purchasing 12 defibrillators.
The council has already installed a few of the Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) at various council properties but they will also be available shortly aboard the council’s inter-island fleet of ferries.
The cardiac defibrillators are currently situated within Isleburgh Community Centre, Shetland Library and 8 North Ness. The council has installed signs to inform the public where they are in the building.
Defibrillators are the most efficient treatment for an individual who is experiencing a cardiac arrest by monitoring their heart’s rhythm and providing an electric shock if required.
The AED defibrillators can be used by anyone as they given spoken instructions and there is an electronic display panel to assist them using the machine to help the individual in need.
However, the Shetland Island Council will be holding voluntary CPR and defibrillator training sessions for any staff members.
Denise Bell, executive manager of Human Resources, said: “Heart disease is one of the UK’s greatest killers and around three-quarters of sudden cardiac arrests take place away from a hospital environment. When someone has a cardiac arrest, every minute without defibrillation reduces their chance of survival by 10%.
“These public access defibrillators on some of our public buildings in Lerwick and on our ferries will improve the survival chances of anyone who finds themselves in that unfortunate position.”