A life-saving aid to benefit the whole community

Mayor of Normanton, Coun David Appleyard, left, John Spikings, Community Defibrillator Trainer, Coun Carol Moran, BEM, Leader of Normanton Town Council and Deputy Mayor of Normanton, Coun Steven Hudson show off Normanton's new defibrillator.

The life-saving device has been installed outside Normanton Town Hall.

Defibrillators are very easy to use in an emergency situation as the machine talks you through every step. Yorkshire Ambulance Service (YAS) will provide callers with a code to access the machine and instructions on how to operate the device.

Mayor of Normanton, Coun David Appleyard, said – ‘I am delighted to see this machine installed at Normanton Town Hall. It has the potential to save lives in our community and you simply can’t put a price on that.’

The deputy mayor, Coun Steven Hudson knows how much benefit these machines can have if used quickly enough. He works for the Yorkshire Ambulance Service and volunteers as a St John Ambulance First Responder. He said: “The use of a defibrillator within three minutes can increase your chance of surviving a cardiac arrest significantly.”

The town council would like to thank Wakefield Council’s property services for funding the installation of the power supply.

Council Leader Carol Moran said: “The installation of the defibrillator is something that I am incredibly proud of. We hope of course that there is no need to use it but to know that it is there with the potential to save lives in our community is reassuring.”

A YAS spokesman said: “Public access defibrillators can be used by a member of the public on someone in cardiac arrest. They are really easy to use.”