Life saving equipment goes up in Sevenoaks and Sundridge

Residents can feel safer with the installation of defibrillators outside Sevenoaks District Council’s Argyle Road offices in Sevenoaks and its Dunbrik Depot in Sundridge.

The two Public Access Defibrillators - more commonly known as PADs - are available for any member of the community to use, alongside effective CPR, in the event of a cardiac arrest due to a heart attack or heart failure emergency.



Training is not necessary to use the life saving devices. Anyone can use the defibrillators as they are fully automated and voice control instructions talk you through exactly what to do.

Sevenoaks District Council invested in the equipment to support South East Coast Ambulance's ‘Start a Heart’ campaign to promote and install defibrillators at as many locations as possible across the South East, to make this region the safest place to live, work, travel and visit.

As well as providing the defibrillators, the Council has worked in partnership with Emergency Medical Care and Training Services (EMCATS) to provide training for 70 people in their use, as well as learning basic skills in first aid and CPR.

Cllr Roddy Hogarth, Sevenoaks District Council's Cabinet Member for healthy living, comments:

As an Ambulance Technician, Michael Whitcombe from EMCATS knows first hand the benefits of early defibrillation:

This Council is also working in partnership with the Sevenoaks District Seniors Action Forum, local organisations, parishes, villages and owners of public buildings to explore opportunities to install other PADs in cardiac hot spots across the District.



Steve Plater, Vice-Chair of Sevenoaks District Seniors Action Forum, says:

To find out more call the Council on 01732 227000, or to see what else the Council is doing to promote health in the District visit www.sevenoaks.gov.uk/health.