Todmorden Town Council to install seven Defibrillators throughout Todmorden
Todmorden Town Council, in partnership with Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Charity is excited to be installing seven automated external defibrillators (AED) to Todmorden. Six of these lifesaving pieces of equipment will be publicly accessible 24 hours a day and one will be housed in the Town Hall and can be accessed whenever the Town Hall is in use.
If you’re wondering what an AED is – and why the Council is installing more of them, you’re not alone. An AED, or automated external defibrillator, is used to help those experiencing sudden cardiac arrest. It’s a sophisticated, yet easy-to-use, medical device that can analyse the heart’s rhythm and, if necessary, deliver an electrical shock, or defibrillation, to help the heart re-establish an effective rhythm
The Town Council would like to thank Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Charity for their financial support of the defib project meaning the Council have been able to increase the number being installed from four to seven.
The defibrillators are being sited throughout Todmorden with a hope that these vital pieces of equipment will be more readily available and accessible in an emergency.
The Council is also grateful to local people who have agreed for the defibrillators to be installed on there businesses. Gaynor Hallinan owner of the (Glen View Pub), Terry Luddington owner of the (Lydgate Post Office), Steve Berry, Secretary, and Angus Morritt of Bottoms Masonic Rooms, of the Masonic Hall in Eastwood, Alan Sanderson and Angus Morritt of Todmorden Social Club Committee and Richard Scholfield, owner (North View – Working Men’s Club), Marshall O’Brien (Hollins Mill) and Jenny Coleman, Chair of the Fielden Centre Association and Paul Brannigan, Manager of The Calder Valley Community Trust (Fielden Centre).
The aim is to have them all installed and working by the end of the financial year and therefore they will be available for public use and to save lives.
In the event of a sudden cardiac arrest, time is of the essence. The defibrillator’s rapid response capabilities can significantly increase the chances of survival by delivering a controlled electric shock to restore the heart’s normal rhythm. This crucial intervention, when administered promptly, can be the difference between life and death.
Emma Kovaleski, Charity Manager at Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Charity, said: “The installation marks a significant milestone in the ongoing efforts of CHFT Charity to work within our local communities to mobilise projects and initiatives that support the health and wellbeing of local people. As a Charity, we’re committed to helping our hospitals and community healthcare services go that extra mile and provide amazing support for our colleagues, patients and communities, beyond the limits, services and provision NHS funding alone can provide.”