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A NEW life-saving defibrillator has been installed at the Bank of Ireland branch in Omagh.
It’s recognised that having early access to a defibrillator can improve a heart attack victim’s chances of survival by 10%.
There are more and more of the devices being installed in community locations.
The latest defibrillator is now available at the Bank of Ireland branch in Omagh.
According to the Resuscitation Council UK (RCUK), the heart is controlled by an electrical impulse that makes it beat in a regular rhythm, keeping you alive.
A RCUK spokesperson said: “When a person has a sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), the normal rhythm becomes disrupted and disorganised, which means their heart can’t beat properly and they won’t be able to breathe normally.
“For every minute that someone’s in cardiac arrest without receiving CPR and having a defibrillator used on them, their chance of survival decreases by 10%. That’s why it’s so important to act immediately.
“A defibrillator gives a jolt of energy to the heart, which can help restore the heart’s rhythm, and get it beating normally again.
“This simple piece of equipment is easy to use and doesn’t require training, but it could make the difference between life and death – so it’s important to find and use a defibrillator in an emergency.”