Life-saving defibrillators are being installed at fire stations across Northamptonshire.
The equipment, paid for by East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS), will be installed at eight Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service premises.
The defibrillators are used when someone has gone into cardiac arrest, and adminsters an electric shock to restart the heart’s beat.
The fire service already assists EMAS as first responders, at incidents such as car crashes.
Sarah-Jayne Parsons, EMAS community defibrillation officer, said: “When it comes to cardiac arrest, seconds count and the use of a defibrillator when our crews travel to the scene can save a life.” Chief fire officer, Martyn Emberson, said: “I am delighted we are able to support this life-saving initiative and I am sure that by working together in this way, we can improve the life chances of people in Northamptonshire.”
The defibrillators are stored in bright yellow cabinets which clearly state that the emergency equipment is available there.
They are registered with EMAS’s operations centre, so when they receive a 999 call reporting a cardiac arrest, they can tell the caller where the defibrillator is located.