Ballyclare Secondary School purchases vital safety equipment

Ballyclare Secondary School now owns a defibrillator (AED), which can be used on both children and adults.

It is estimated that 100,000 people die each year in the United Kingdom from sudden cardiac arrest and thousands of them could be saved if a defibrillator had been available. For every minute defibrillation is delayed the person’s chance of survival decreases by 10 per cent. While CPR alone (chest compressions and rescue breaths) saves around 9 per cent of people who suffer from a sudden cardiac arrest, CPR and using an automated external defibrillator (AED) increases the chance of survival five-fold to 50 per cent.

Currently it is not mandatory for schools to keep a defibrillator and Ballyclare Secondary School has purchased the AED in order to provide exceptional care for all.

Commenting on the purchase of the vital equipment, Mrs Bell, Principal, said: “Moving forward into the next academic year all PE staff will be trained first followed by the rest of the staff. This is a great development when it comes to the safety and well-being of our pupils and staff, you cannot put a price on a life.

“The health and safety of the pupils and staff is paramount.”