Marlow Town Council (MTC) has been working in conjunction with South Central Ambulance Service to increase defibrillator access in Marlow. As a result, the first new defibrillator has now been installed in a phone box in Quoiting Square and further locations are being reviewed.
The installation is ahead of a national ‘Restart a Heart Day’ on October 16th. The campaign raises awareness about cardiac arrest and helps people to learn CPR, giving them lifesaving skills and the confidence to use them. The project is aimed at schools all over the UK, with local companies and individuals also being encouraged to get involved. South Central Ambulance Service is offering to provide training on how to use a defibrillator, as well as advice on locating defibrillators at business premises.
Mayor David Brown said: “Installing the new defibrillator in Quoiting Square involved a slightly more complex process than before, as Listed Building Consent had to be sought. But the defibrillator is now in place and is ready to provide the local community with a life-saving function.”
BT’s ‘Adopt a Kiosk’ scheme started in 2012 and MTC first partnered with Crown Paint in 2018 to decommission and adapt two telephone boxes on the corners of Lock Road/Station Road and Oaktree Road/Seymour Park Road.
Following a cardiac arrest the chances of survival drop dramatically every minute. The UK Resuscitation Council recommends that a defibrillator should be available when medical treatment is more than five minutes away.
Crown Paint centres have kindly provided paint to allow the boxes to be restored to their former glory.
