More life-saving defibrillators should be installed across the city, according to a Bristol councillor, after a rugby star died earlier this year. Bristol has one of the lowest numbers of automated external defibrillators in the country, which can save lives if accessed quickly.
In February rugby player Sam Polledri died in Millennium Square after suffering a cardiac arrest, and although there were five defibrillators nearby, they were all behind locked doors. Now Bristol City Council could soon face a vote on getting many more defibrillators installed.
The move could require new large developments to include publicly available defibrillators, and new taxi drivers to be trained on using defibrillators and basic CPR techniques. A charity could also work with the council on installation and maintenance.
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Conservative Councillor Steve Smith tabled a motion on defibrillators to a full council meeting on Tuesday, December 13. He called the plan a “no-brainer” and said it would improve the chances of people surviving cardiac arrests.
Cllr Smith said: “For me, this reform is really a no-brainer. Importantly, such an increase in training and hardware does not impose extra costs on the authority. The Great Western Air Ambulance Charity is already working with the council to provide elected members with the skills training for CPR and defibrillation.
“One statistic which really drives home the difference this can make in life and death is quite remarkable: the chance of surviving an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest rises from 5% to up to 75% through early intervention with these techniques and technology. If fortunate to get this issue debated, I am confident that the initiative to make Bristol a CPR-friendly city will command all-party support.”
Earlier this year a new defibrillator was installed in Millennium Square, and Cllr Smith said one should be installed outside City Hall too. He said a similar programme has been rolled out in Swansea, with the city council there working with charity Heartbeat Trust UK. Swansea now has 459 automated external defibrillators, one of the highest numbers in the country.
