Local charity Droitwich AED donate 10 new defibrillators to North Worcestershire Police

North Worcestershire police officers have been presented with ten new defibrillators which will be on hand to provide life safe saving support should they be called upon.

Defibrillators are devices that send an electric pulse or shock to the heart to restore a normal heartbeat. They are used to prevent or correct an arrhythmia, an uneven heartbeat that is too slow or too fast. If the heart suddenly stops, defibrillators can also help it beat again. Different types of defibrillators work in different ways and officers at Kidderminster Police Station were presented the AEDs, paid for with money rasied by local Freemasons, by Peter Richards, Chair of Trustees for Droitwich AED.

An AED is a lightweight, battery-operated, portable device that checks the heart’s rhythm and sends a shock to the heart to restore normal rhythm. The device is used to help people having cardiac arrest.

Sticky pads with sensors, called electrodes, are attached to the chest of someone who is having cardiac arrest. The electrodes send information about the person's heart rhythm to a computer in the AED. The computer analyses the heart rhythm to find out whether an electric shock is needed. If it is needed, the electrodes deliver the shock.

West Mercia Police already have a number of AEDs in both police stations and a number of various police vehicles, and this increase will provide officers and staff greater, and potentially lifesaving access.

North Worcestershire Commander Superintendent Mel Paley said: “I am delighted that we have been able to increase the number of defibrillators held across North Worcestershire. My heartfelt thanks go to Droitwich AED who have so kindly donated ten defibrillators for our staff to have ready access to.

“Without doubt these defibrillators will enable my officers and staff to provide lifesaving support if the unthinkable happens within our communities.”