Lifesaver in a phone box

A telephone box in Newark Market Place is to be used to house a lifesaving defibrillator as part of a scheme run by the Community Heartbeat Trust.

Newark Town Council’s finance and policy committee decided to go ahead with the project despite concerns about vandalism.

It was agreed to ask the Newark division of St John Ambulance and Newark Community First Aid if they would be prepared to become caretakers for the equipment.

Mr Laurence Goff said there were already 500 telephone boxes across the country being used for defibrillators. He said 200 people a day suffered some form of cardiac arrest and the defibrillator equipment could save a life.

The council leader, Mrs Gill Dawn, said they should provide a defibrillator.

“If one life is saved in the course of the year it would be worth every penny,” she said.

Mr David Lloyd supported the idea in principle but queried whether a town-centre telephone box was the most appropriate and secure location for the equipment. He said he would rather involve a first-aid organisation to oversee the project and look after it.

Mr David Payne felt they all supported the idea of providing the equipment but was concerned the town council could be subject to a claim for negligence if it was not used properly.

Mr Max Cope was concerned there was nothing to stop it being used in a drunken jape.

Mrs Irene Brown said it was time to put Newark people first and provide equipment that could save a life.

Town clerk Mr Alan Mellor said it would cost £1,950 to provide a defibrillator kit, which would be installed for £150. They would need to carry out weekly and monthly checks and to recommission the defibrillator if it was used. The ongoing annual cost would be about £86.

He said the equipment needed to be in a location where it could be accessed easily and Newark Town Hall was unsuitable because it was open for only part of the day.

The secretary of the trust, Mr Martin Fagan, told the Advertiser vandalism had not proved to be a problem elsewhere and no one had broken into the boxes to date.

“They are built like tanks,” he said. “We have some in central Liverpool without problems.”

He said the equipment could be accessed in an emergency by dialling 999. The operator would then direct the caller to the defibrillator and would give a code to release it.

Mr Fagan said the equipment was easy to use and clear directions would be given by the operator about what to do.

An awareness session will be provided by the trust in Newark for any resident wanting to know more.

Defibrillators have already been put in telephone boxes in Morton and East Bridgford. The aim is to get one in every village and several in larger towns.

Mr Fagan said: “We want to encourage every community to have a life-saving defibrillator.”