Kinglassie's heartbeat goes on
Kinglassie residents were delighted when funding helped to pay for a defibrillator in their village.
The defibrillator has been installed outside the main shop in the centre of this Fife village. It was paid for by a grant from the Ventient Energy Westfield Wind Farm Community Fund (Kinglassie) which awards grants for the benefit of those living within the Kinglassie Community Council area.
The Kinglassie Action Group applied for funding for the defibrillator so that immediate help can be provided to anyone having a heart attack in the area. A spokesperson for the group said
“Speed of response is critical in maximising the chances of a full recovery from cardiac arrest and locally located defibrillators can help improve chances of survival. Our defibrillator is located in the centre of the village, it has open access so can be used by anyone. We have had advice from the East Neuk First Responders and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service in developing this project and are very grateful for their support.
The defibrillator is linked to East Neuk First responders via the internet so they will know immediately if it gets used. We selected a model that is easy to use, voice led instructions are given as soon as the unit is opened. Opening the storage box also sets off a loud alarm which will alert anyone in the nearby shop. The local branch of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service have offered to provide training in use of the equipment, this will be organised as soon as restrictions allow. In the meantime, the Kinglassie community information Facebook page will provide a link to the manufacturers website and instructions for operating the defibrillator. We are also very thankful to McColl’s for providing space for the unit outside the shop and providing power to the unit.”
A defibrillator is a device that can assist someone to recover from a heart attack. The unit in Kinglassie will be registered with the Scottish Ambulance Service to ensure speedy access when an emergency occurs.