A POTENTIALLY life-saving defibrillator has been donated to Teardrops.
The new defibrillator replaces the old device, which has been used to save two lives at the Teardrops hub on Crab Street, which supports the homeless and vulnerable in St Helens.
The old defibrillator has been donated to Councillor Michael Haw's 'Heart Beat Eccleston' campaign, which will be reconditioned and used for a local community project in Eccleston.
Nick Dyer, Hub Manager, said: "This is a fantastic gesture from all the partners involved. The need for a new, modern AED at Teardrops is critical.
“We see over 300 people a week and have to use our old defibrillator twice, both with successful outcomes; we know first hand how vital they are.”
Sally Yeoman MBE, Chief Executive Officer, St Helens and Halton VCA, who collaborated with St Helens Chamber and Amazon to provide the defibrillator, added: "We are pleased to have been able to collaborate with St Helens Chamber and Amazon, which has provided life-saving defibrillators to local voluntary and community groups.
“It's brilliant to know that one of these vital devices will enhance the resources available at Teardrops' hub. Our thanks to Amazon for their generous contributions to this essential cause".
Cllr Michael Haw, who has been actively campaigning for defibrillators to be installed across the area since the death of his cousin Chris Haw - who died aged 25 of Sudden Adult Death Syndrome (SADS), said: "The new defibrillator will serve as an important safety asset for Teardrops. Medical help is not always on hand in an emergency, so having quick access to a defibrillator can make all the difference.
"I would like to thank Nick and Teardrops for their kind donation. The old defibrillator will be refurbished, thoroughly tested, recertified, and installed at another key location in Eccleston".
Figures show that using a defibrillator and CPR within the first few minutes of a cardiac arrest can improve survival rates by up to 70 per cent.
According to the British Heart Foundation, 60,000 people die every year in the UK from cardiac arrest, and survival chances for cardiac arrest victims reduce by ten per cent for every minute without CPR and defibrillation.
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