Life-saving defibrillators to be installed at six locations across Rushden

Two public phone boxes are set to be brought back into use by housing two of six defibrillators being installed across Rushden.

Rushden Town Council has bought six defibrillators which can be life-saving for a patient in cardiac arrest, working to restore their heart rhythm before emergency services arrive and improving their survival rate.

If a defibrillator is used within three to five minutes of a cardiac arrest, statistics show survival rates jump from six per cent to 74 per cent.

Two defibrillators have been installed at Spencer Park pavilion and Jubilee Park pavilion.

Two decommissioned telephone kiosks will house defibrillators, with one in Haddon Close and one in Upper Queen Street.

A further two defibrillators will be installed at Portland Road, in conjunction with Alfred Sargent Shoes, and in Hall Park, with the exact location still to be confirmed.

The potentially life-saving defibrillators were partly funded by East Northants Council’s ‘Councillor Empowerment Fund,’ along with member contributions towards the installation costs, and a donation of £100 from Rushden's Independent Wesleyan Church.

The town council is in the process of registering the defibrillators on a national database website, which pinpoints the location of and provides directions to all registered defibrillators in the UK.

The town council is also looking into providing a CPR course for residents to learn emergency life-saving skills.

For more information about the Heartstart Communities Scheme go to https://www.bhf.org.uk/