Publicly Available Defibrillators

A new publicly accessible defibrillator could be installed in City Square. 

The City Governance committee will consider a report at its next meeting on an assessment of units available across city communities. 

Councillors will hear that an appraisal of the CIRCUIT register was carried out as part of the exercise. This is held and maintained by emergency services and is used to direct 999 callers to the nearest available defibrillator. 

Information gathered indicated a wide spread of units in different areas of Dundee, but identified that there was no provision in the North East ward. 

The council’s communities team worked with local groups to bid for funding which supported the procurement of seven units. Work was also carried out in the East End ward which saw a further four installed. 

CPR and defib training sessions were held in these areas, and the committee will hear that Lochee is the next priority, with other wards to follow. 

Committee convener Councillor John Alexander said: “These defibrillators have proved to be life savers and it is vital that they are recorded on the system so that people can be directed to them in an emergency. 

“Through the council’s research, a gap in provision was identified in certain areas and subsequently units and training were provided. 

“A new defibrillator in City Square could also provide urgent help in the city centre in the event of a cardiac arrest.” 

The research has identified that some units across the city did not appear on the CIRCUIT register, and groups will be encouraged to ensure that all defibrillators are recorded.  

Also, the report details that following collaborative work with Edinburgh University, the city council was invited to become one of the first local authority partners on the Save a Life for Scotland working group. 

In the report, a new publicly accessible defibrillator in City Square is being proposed at a cost of £2,000. 

The council will be encouraging guardians of all units which are available for public use to ensure that they have registered at The Circuit - the national defibrillator network  

The committee meets on Monday June 10.