MALVERN Link has its first defibrillator thanks to the hard working efforts of a town charity.
The community access defibrillator was installed outside Malvern Fire Station on Worcester Road by Heartstart Malvern .
The charity’s aim is to increase the chance of surviving a cardiac arrest in Malvern by installing Public Access Defibrillator’s and by providing free training on how to use them.
It cost approximately £1,500 and is the first one to be installed by the charity and the first within Malvern Link.
Heartstart Malvern is hoping to install 50 defibrillators at key locations within Malvern next year.
Founder of Heartstart Malvern, Richard Vakis-Lowe, said: “Heartstart Malvern is extremely grateful to Mr Richard Green, for a donation from the Malvern Freemasons and Coun Paul Tuthill for a donation from his discretionary County Councillor’s Fund to fund this defibrillator.
“We would also like to thank Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service for allowing us to install our first defibrillator in such a prominent location.
“Unfortunately, approximately 30 people will die prematurely as a result of a cardiac arrest in Malvern in 2017. We believe that if we can achieve our aim of installing another 50 public access defibrillators throughout Malvern and by providing free training to the local community that we will eventually be able to save at least 4 or 5 lives in Malvern each year.
“I would encourage anyone who might be interested in helping us to fund our next defibrillator or who might be interested in our free training, to contact us through our website www.heartstartmalvern.org.uk.”
Liam Hall, Station Commander, added: “Thanks to Heartstart Malvern, Malvern Fire Station has the first defibrillator within Malvern Link. The cabinet is prominently displayed outside the main entrance and the ambulance service will provide the code to access the defibrillator should a member of the public require using it.”
