Every school in North Tyneside now has vital lifesaving equipment on site.
It’s thanks to North Tyneside Council chairman Cllr Tommy Mulvenna who has raised money through his charity fund to help pay for defibrillators at 14 schools throughout the borough.
Most schools already had the equipment thanks to a project run by the council in partnership with the North East Ambulance Service in 2015.
But Cllr Mulvenna, after taking on the role as chair earlier in the year, made it one of his top priorities to ensure the remaining schools also had one on site.
Now, defibrillators, which can be used to save the life of someone suffering Sudden Cardiac Arrest, have been delivered to each of those extra schools.
Cllr Mulvenna said: “One of my main aims during my year in office as chairman has been to make sure every school in borough has access to a defibrillator on their premises.
“We know how vitally important a piece of equipment it is from incidents that have happened in some of our public buildings over the years – it really can save lives.
“I am really pleased to have been able to achieve this particular goal only halfway through my term of office.
“It is largely thanks to the help and support of the council’s Strategic Investment and Health and Safety teams who have worked closely with the schools involved.”
Sudden Cardiac Arrest is a leading cause of premature death but with immediate treatment many lives can be saved.
Survival rates as high as 75 per cent have been reported where CPR and defibrillation are delivered quickly.
Defibrillators, also known as AEDs, are easy to use, compact, portable and very effective. They are designed to be used by anybody as the machines guide the operator through the process by verbal instructions and visual prompts. They are safe and will not allow a shock to be given unless the heart’s rhythm requires it.