‘Safety risk’ over life-saver
defibrillator cabinets
Mike Graham and Liz
Nason with one of Chipping Norton's three defibrillator cabinets. Picture:
OX65097 Aimee Kirkham
FEARS have been raised over lifesaving equipment being put
at risk because of “inadequate cabinets”.
Member of the Chipping Norton Lions club Liz Nason initially
expressed concern after seeing a picture of a donated defibrillator cabinet in
the Oxford Mail. She said: “I saw it was one of the 24 defibrillators donated
anonymously, and I was immediately worried.” The 71-year-old added: “The
cabinets need to be heated so that the electrics in the defibrillator don’t get
too cold in the winter.”
Fellow Lions member and former paramedic Mike Graham said:
“This means if water gets into it, it will accumulate at the bottom of the
cabinet and could cause it to short circuit, killing the heater.”As revealed in
the Oxford Mail last month an anonymous donation from someone whose life was
saved by a defibrillator will see 24 of the £1,800 devices, which shock the
heart back to life, provided across West Oxfordshire.
Dick Tracey, South Central Ambulance Service responder
department manager, who runs the installation of the cabinets for the 24
defibrillators, said: “The cabinets we have bought on behalf of the anonymous
donor are from a company called Lifebox, which has done its own checks. “I am
assured that the cabinets are perfectly satisfactory.”
But Ms Nason is so concerned that the council will use
cheaper cabinets, rather than the £750 ones supplied by the Community Heartbeat
Trust (CHT), a charity that supplies defibrillator equipment to communities
across the country, she has contacted its national secretary Martin Fagan. He
said: “If you’re putting it externally where anyone can access it, then you
need to assume that anyone can access it.”
The cabinets are also IP65 rated meaning that they are
completely dust, dirt and rainproof, and have been independently assessed. Mr
Fagan, 55, said: “We work closely with the ambulance service, and have set down
basic standards we adhere to. “But we feel they do need to be brought to the
attention of potential buyers as part of their overall consideration.”
He admitted that the cabinets were expensive when compared
to others, which can cost as little as £250, but said: “I understand the attitude
of wanting to make your money go as far as possible, but the council has the
responsibility of planning to do more. “We have written to West Oxfordshire District Council asking
members to meet with us and hear what we have to say, but have not heard any
response.” Sara Long from the council said that it had not yet decided what
cabinets to buy.
She did not comment on whether the council would meet with
the Community Heartbeat Trust.
By Alex Wynick. On 01865
425403 Oxford Times