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Bank of Ireland has installed a new defibrillator at its Newry branch as part of a wider rollout of the life-saving devices across all of its Northern Ireland branches. The defibrillatort has been fitted outside the branch and is accessible for the whole community to use.
George Higginson, Managing Director of Everyday Banking at Bank of Ireland UK, said he was delighted the bank could use its local branches to host the potentially life-saving equipment. "We have been supporting customers and communities across Northern Ireland for two hundred years and I am proud to not only see the defibrillators being installed, but that we are also making people aware that this equipment is here for the benefit of the whole community," he said.
As the devices are installed across the network, each branch will be hosting an event to help raise awareness of the defibrillator and to provide reassurance on how easy they are to use. Where possible, the devices are fitted outside branches and made accessible for community use.
Fearghal McKinney, Head of British Heart Foundation Northern Ireland, welcomed the rollout saying every defibrillator has the power to save a life. He explained that every minute counts when someone has a cardiac arrest, but many defibrillators never get used because emergency services don't know where they are or how to access them.
Each of the Bank of Ireland devices will be registered with The Circuit, the defibrillator network which was developed by the British Heart Foundation in partnership with the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives, Resuscitation Council UK, St John Ambulance, and NHS England.
The installation at the Newry branch took place yesterday 18 November. The British Heart Foundation is calling on everyone who has a defibrillator to make sure the device is registered with The Circuit, saying it really can be the difference between life and death.
More information about The Circuit and how to register a defibrillator can be found at www.thecircuit.uk
