Wolverhampton university and ambulance service work together to save lives.
A pioneering partnership between West Midlands Ambulance Service and the University of Wolverhampton will see 30 life saving devices installed at locations across the West Midlands.
The University of Wolverhampton has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Trust pledging its commitment to install defibrillators at its University campuses in Wolverhampton, Walsall, Telford and Burton as well as at partner Academy schools in the region.
An automated external defibrillator is a device which helps to restart the heart of someone in cardiac arrest. There are over 3,000 defibrillators in communities across the West Midlands and even though they come in many different makes, colours and sizes, they all do the same thing and are extremely easy to use.
Professor Geoff Layer, Vice Chancellor at the University of Wolverhampton, and West Midlands Ambulance Services Chief Executive Officer Anthony Marsh met on Monday 15thFebruary to officially sign the memorandum of understanding which defines the responsibilities of the two parties in the provision of an Automated External Defibrillator and basic life support to a person in a cardiac arrest until the arrival of the statutory ambulance response.
Anthony Marsh said: “We’ve helped to install thousands of defibrillators and trained 60,000 people in lifesaving CPR skills across the Region. Over the last 12 months alone, we’ve worked incredibly hard to place hundreds of defibrillators across the Black Country in locations such as sports facilities, supermarkets, tourist attractions and schools to help someone in cardiac arrest.
“It’s a privilege to welcome the University of Wolverhampton and its Academy Schools on board our project to help save even more lives in the Black Country. With thousands of students and members of staff on campus each day it seems a logical place to have defibrillators and whilst we hope they are never used, its peace of mind for the university that the devices are there to help in an emergency.”
Professor Geoff Layer added: “As an institution with thousands of staff and students on site, as well as our campuses being located right in the heart of our towns and communities, it’s really important that we officially show support and commitment to the West Midlands Ambulance Service – helping them to provide a rapid response in the event that someone suffers a cardiac arrest whilst on our premises.
“These machines are extremely easy to use, meaning anyone can provide emergency care to someone in cardiac arrest quickly and effectively prior to the arrival of an ambulance bearing in mind that eighty-five percent of those people who suffer a cardiac arrest have the ability for their heart to be shocked back to a normal rhythm by defibrillation.”
The University has already installed six defibrillators in its Wolverhampton City Centre Campus locations, three at its Walsall Campus, two at its Telford Innovation Centre, two at the Wolverhampton University Science Park and one at its Burton Hospital Campus as well as 16 at partner Academy Schools.