University of Leicester installs community use defibrillators for staff, students and public

Defibrillators installed for staff, students, visitors and public

The University of Leicester has installed its first community public access defibrillators (cpads) which are available for use by staff, students and members of the public in an emergency.

L-R: Kalash Singh from Security, Dave Hall Registrar and Chief Operating Officer and Mike Haynes-Coote, Director of Safety Services with one of the defibrillators. Credit: University of Leicester

The equipment is provided should someone have a sudden cardiac arrest on campus or in the vicinity of the campus.

They have been installed at the Charles Wilson Building which stands adjacent to Victoria Park, the Maurice Shock Building which is at the junction of University Road and Lancaster Road, at 21 University Road  - approximately 100m from the junction with London Road and at John Foster Hall in Oadby.

In addition two defibrillators are held by the University security team for their patrol vehicles and one has been placed at Stoughton Road Playing fields to complement those units already held at the University’s two sports centres (Danielle Brown and Roger Bettles).

The community use defibrillators are housed in a vandal proof, heated, stainless steel cabinet, operated by a key pad.  Upon receiving a call the ambulance service will direct the caller to the machine and will issue the access code.

The defibrillator also has a voice over instruction mode to aid the user, as well as a video presentation to help those who are hard of hearing.

Dave Hall, Registrar and the University’s Chief Operating Officer, said:

I’m delighted the University is making this vital equipment available - whether it is needed for staff, students, visitors, contractors or members of the public. It can be a life saver and a much-needed addition in providing help to people within the community.

Mike Haynes-Coote, Director of Safety Services, added:

We have been working closely with The Community Heartbeat Trust who supplied the equipment. Their advice and guidance has been invaluable and they will be providing continued ‘backup’ service and advice going forward. Also thank you to the team in Reactive maintenance for installing the defibrillators.