TWINBROOK has been identified as one of the top ten areas in the UK with limited access to defibrillators, putting people at higher risk of dying if they have a cardiac arrest.
The list was released by the British Heart Foundation (BHF). For every minute without defibrillation and CPR survival chances decrease by ten per cent.
Lagan Valley in Lisburn is the other area of concern in the North.
The BHF says more deprived areas also have higher levels of cardiovascular disease and rates of death from cardiac arrest and these ’defibrillator deserts’ are putting lives at risk.
There are around 1,400 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCAs) each year in the North, but less than one-in-ten people survive.
The charity is urgently encouraging eligible communities to apply to their 2025 scheme. Successful applicants will receive a defibrillator and cabinet, and installation costs will be covered where required. Future replacement parts will be free of charge when they expire or are used in an emergency for up to ten years.
Fearghal McKinney, Head of BHF Northern Ireland, said: “Defibrillators save lives and make communities safer. Every defibrillator holds the power to help save someone’s life and is crucial in the chain of survival during a cardiac arrest. We’ve made progress here in Northern Ireland but there are still some areas without any defibrillators at all, and these communities need it most.
“We are delighted to be relaunching our community defibrillator scheme to reach the areas where we can make a difference and save lives from cardiac arrest.”
The awarded defibrillators will be registered on The Circuit, allowing emergency services to locate them when they are needed.
