Wem Rural Parish Council is holding a public meeting on Tuesday 22 January 2013 at Edstaston Village Hall starting at 7.30pm to kick-start a project to obtain an Automated External Defibrillator. Councillors have previously agreed that the opportunity to locate this life saving equipment in the Parish could not be ignored.
Parish Councillor Len Staines said, “I have attended 2 meetings where the benefits of this equipment have been explained and the figures say it all. Each year over 75,000 people die in the UK from sudden cardiac arrest. It is estimated that 85 per cent of these victims could be saved with rapid treatment from an AED. You will remember it was used on footballer Fabrice Muamba both on the pitch and in transit to the hospital following a cardiac arrest, and he has been able to make a remarkable recovery.”
Chair of Wem Rural Parish Council, Cllr Peter Broomhall, said “Councillors unanimously supported Cllr Staines proposal to start a project to locate at least one AED in the Parish. We heard that by having an AED in the Parish could mean the difference between life and death. A minute’s delay in re-starting a patient’s heart can decrease their chance of survival by 10 per cent. The Parish Council agreed to follow the lead set by Clun Valley and Myddle communities and will start our project with this public meeting. I would encourage local residents who are interested in locating an AED in the Parish to come along to this meeting and hear from Cliff Medlicott, the Community Response Manager from West Midlands Ambulance Service, and Phil Keyse, from Myddle Hearbeat. Cliff and Phil will be speaking about community groups which already have AEDs and will be answering questions.”
