RECYCLING specialists Scott Bros has invested £4,000 on three public access defibrillators, donating one to the CPAD Ingleby Barwick group.
The family-run firm has installed one at its depot on Haverton Hill Road, Billingham, and the second at Thornaby Sports and Leisure Club, which is run by director Peter Scott.
Community Public Access Defibrillators (CPAD) Ingleby Barwick has already installed the donated life-saving equipment outside IB Leisure.
It has already provided five public access defibrillators on the estate, home to 22,500 people, with a further two to be fitted in the coming weeks.
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The aim of the group, launched in January this year, is to install a total of 14 across Ingleby Barwick so no resident is more than 500 metres away from a public access defibrillator.
It is holding Ingleby Hearts Community Fete outside IB Leisure, situated off Blair Avenue, this Sunday afternoon (May 15), between noon and 4pm, as a thank you to the community for its support.
It will include live music from Tom Powell and Rebecca York, craft and food stalls, activities, competitions and free CPR and defibrillator training.
As part of its fundraising activities, the group approached Scott Bros which recognised the importance of defibrillators and agreed to lend its support.
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Deborah Gale, Chair of the CPAD Ingleby Barwick Fund and a former Emergency Care Assistant, said: “We are hugely grateful to generosity of Scott Bros and would appeal to other businesses to get involved.
“Of the 46 cardiac arrests that took place in Ingleby Barwick between 2018 and July last year, sadly only one survived and they were the only person to be treated with a defibrillator.
“We hope they never have to be used but it certainly provides peace of mind knowing this life saving equipment is there.”
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Peter Scott said: “We are proud to contribute to the tremendous work that CPAD Ingleby Barwick is doing. The chance of surviving a cardiac arrest rises from six per cent to 74 per cent if a defibrillator is used within three minutes, so it’s important further defibrillators are available throughout the area.”
Their location has already been added to the national defibrillator network, which as well as being shared with the emergency services, makes people aware of where the nearest working public access defibrillator can be found.
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