James BryceCARDIAC arrest victims could benefit from plans to make life-saving equipment available in public places around Gibraltar.
The scheme is aimed at providing rapid assistance to victims who suffer a sudden cardiac arrest away from hospital, with over 90 per cent of cases on the Rock resulting in death.
Public Access Defibrillators – designed for easy use without any training – will be placed in locations including the Piazza, Victoria Stadium complex and St Michael’s Cave.
Less than five per cent of people who suffer a cardiac arrest survive without the use of a defibrillator, compared to 70 per cent who have access to one within five minutes.
It follows the recent high-profile case of Bolton Wanderers footballer Fabrice Muamba, who received life-saving treatment on the pitch from medics using a defibrillator.
