Chief Minister Howard Quayle MHK and Treasury Minister Alfred Cannan MHK have unveiled the latest addition to a growing number of defibrillators available for public use.
Located outside Government Office on Bucks Road in Douglas, the device, which was jointly funded by the Cabinet Office and the Treasury and installed by the Department of Infrastructure – could mean the difference between life and death if someone suffers a cardiac arrest.
A number of public access defibrillators have been installed in the Isle of Man over recent years thanks to a joint initiative by the Isle of Man Ambulance Service, Rushen Emergency Ambulance, Craig’s Heartstrong Foundation, and St John Ambulance.
The devices are easily identifiable from their distinctive – and unique to the Isle of Man – bright green cabinets and signage.
Dave Scambler, the Ambulance Service’s Public Access Defibrillator Co-ordinator, said:
'As many as seven in 10 people who suffer a cardiac arrest could survive if they were treated with a defibrillator within the first five minutes.
'The more defibrillators that can be made available in the community, and the more people who feel confident to use them, the better the chances of a patient surviving a cardiac arrest.'
The devices are automated, giving instructions to the user on how to setup the device and administer an electric shock that can restart the heart’s normal rhythm. Devices can be accessed by dialling 999 and asking for the four digit key code.
The Chief Minister said:
'Government Office is a busy building at the heart of the capital, with a significant number of workers and visitors. It makes sense to have a defibrillator on the premises.
'I commend the work of all four agencies involved in this important and highly successful initiative, which has the potential to save lives.'
St John Ambulance has recently launched a CARE for a Heart campaign following a survey which showed that most people do not know how to respond if someone’s heart stops beating.
The campaign encourages the public to learn how to treat a cardiac arrest in advance:
- C – Closest defibrillator. Find your closest defibrillator
- A – Arrest? Be ready to spot the signs of cardiac arrest
- R – Resuscitate. Know how to resuscitate using CPR
- E – Early defibrillation. Early defibrillation gives the best chance of survival.
