Defibrillators have been installed at seven police stations across Suffolk, thanks to the efforts of one officer who suffered a cardiac arrhythmia.
Bury St Edmunds-based Pc Daniel Witter had to have a heart operation after suffering the cardia arrhythmia in 2013 – a condition which could have been treated with a defibrillator.
Pc Witter said: “I was lucky enough to be able to access immediate medical help and have the condition rectified at A&E and later fully resolved at Papworth Hospital in Cambridgeshire. However, it highlighted to me the importance of swift intervention when suffering any kind of cardiac condition.
“Working alongside the ambulance project leaders I was able to secure seven new external defibrillators to be located within Suffolk police premises. I felt this initiative would benefit both police staff as well as the wider community providing potential lifesaving equipment in the event of a life threatening medical emergency.”
The new defibrillators are available at Lowestoft, Haverhill, Sudbury, Stowmarket, Hadleigh, Newmarket and Museum Street in Ipswich.
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