Three new defibrillators have been installed in St Albans city centre by St Albans City Centre BID in collaboration with Barclays Bank, Christopher Place and The Maltings.

The external community defibrillators which are available to the public 24/7 have been funded by St Albans City Centre BID as part of local businesses’ investment into its community helping make St Albans a safer place to work in, shop and visit.

It is generally recognised that community defibrillators are making a significant difference. According to the charity London Hearts, ‘the number of people surviving cardiac arrests outside of a hospital is 10.8%, which is the highest level it’s ever been and is twice the rate that is was a decade ago.’

Vivien Cannon, St Albans BID Manager said, “Larger shops and offices in the City will have a defibrillator and may well make it available for someone outside their premises to use but once the business has shut for the day, availability ends.

We are so please to be working with Barclays Bank, Christopher Place and The Maltings who have agreed to host and take on the long-term running costs which means that anyone who suffers a heart attack has an increased chance of survival and can go on to live a long life.”

Each defibrillator is registered with The Circuit, the Government backed national defibrillator location data base used by the emergency services. If you suspect someone is having a heart attack, always call 999 first. The emergency services will direct you to the nearest defibrillator and give you a code to open the door of the external cabinet it is kept in. When using the defibrillator it speaks to you telling you what to do and is designed not to give a shock if the person does not need it.