Council Leader grateful for defibrillator donation
Council Leader Councillor Derek Milligan has thanked home builder Taylor Wimpey East Scotland for donating a public access defibrillator (PAD) to the Lasswade Centre to benefit local communities and customers.
Life-saving equipment
He said: “I’m delighted Taylor Wimpey approved my nomination of the Lasswade Centre to receive this defibrillator. We can’t thank them enough for this potentially life-saving equipment. While we hope we don’t have to use it, it’s fantastic to know our trained staff can access a defibrillator in the event of an emergency.”
Helping those suffering cardiac arrest
As part of a joint initiative with the British Heart Foundation (BHF), the home builder is donating potentially life-saving PADs to communities around the UK to help people who suffer from an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.
A lasting legacy
During 2019, the BHF supported Taylor Wimpey to train its employees in CPR skills and provide every one of their building sites in the UK with a defibrillator. As part of its commitment to leaving a lasting legacy in the areas in which it builds, Taylor Wimpey is donating the defibrillators to local communities when their developments are completed. As part of its commitment to Midlothian, the local community in Lasswade are the latest to be gifted a PAD.
Giving something back
Deryck Schendel, Regional Health and Safety Advisor for Taylor Wimpey in Scotland, said: “It’s so important to us that we give something back to the communities in which we’re building. Our partnership with the BHF is vitally important in helping to ensure that more defibrillators are available for people who might need them, and we are proud to be able to make this equipment readily accessible in Lasswade.”
Increasing chances of survival
Estelle Stephenson, Survival Programme Lead at the British Heart Foundation said: “We are delighted that Taylor Wimpey has contributed to the aims of the BHF by making a public access defibrillator available to the Lasswade Centre.
Simple steps to keep safe
“A cardiac arrest is the most serious medical emergency. Every minute without CPR and defibrillation reduces a person’s chance of surviving by around 10 per cent, but calling 999, starting immediate hands-only CPR and using a defibrillator can significantly increase their chances of survival. During the pandemic it is essential that these steps are still taken to help save someone’s life and there are some simple measures you can take to keep yourself safe so please don’t hesitate to help someone in need. Find up to date guidance on the BHF website.”
No specific training needed
A defibrillator is a portable device that can be used by anyone to help restart the heart when someone suffers from a cardiac arrest and has stopped breathing. No specific training is needed and the device will only deliver a shock to the heart if necessary. When someone has a cardiac arrest, every second counts. For every minute that passes without defibrillation and CPR the chances of survival decrease by around ten per cent.
In the picture
Council Leader Derek Milligan is pictured front left at the handover with Deryck Schendel (TW health & safety advisor) at front on right. Behind them from left to right are Allan Blair, Sports & Physical Activity Team Leader at Midlothian Council, Pauline Mills, the Land & Planning Director at Taylor Wimpey and leisure assistant Ben Robertson from the Lasswade Centre.