NSMI celebrates community Defibrillator fundraising success
The North Staffordshire Medical Institute (NSMI) celebrated the successful completion of a community fundraising campaign that raised £1,999 to purchase and install a public access defibrillator at its Hartshill Road premises in Stoke-on-Trent.
The Automated External Defibrillator (AED) was installed on an outside wall of the building, making potentially life-saving equipment available to the local community in the event of a cardiac emergency.
Life-saving equipment for the local community
A sudden cardiac arrest occurs when the heart unexpectedly stops pumping blood effectively around the body. Rapid access to CPR and a defibrillator can be crucial while emergency medical assistance is on its way.
An AED analyses a person's heart rhythm and, when appropriate, delivers an electrical shock designed to help restore a normal rhythm.
The equipment installed at NSMI was designed so that members of the public could use it in an emergency, with instructions provided by the device and support available from emergency services.
At the time of its installation, then Institute Chairman Professor Shaughn O'Brien highlighted the potential importance of having a publicly accessible defibrillator available within the Hartshill area and thanked the community for supporting the fundraising campaign.
A community fundraising effort
The campaign to fund the equipment ran for approximately a year and was led by Institute Manager Jacqui Robinson.
Support came from individuals and organisations across the local community, including Councillor Sean Pender, Hartshill and Harpfields' Occasions, the local Residents' Association, the Rotary Club and residents from the surrounding area.
NSMI contributed the final £337.41 required to reach the fundraising target.
The successful appeal demonstrated what could be achieved through collaboration between the Institute, local organisations and members of the community.
Working with AED Donate
The defibrillator was supplied with support from AED Donate, a Staffordshire-based charity working to increase the availability of public access defibrillators.
The AED was housed in a secure, temperature-regulated external cabinet designed to protect the equipment while keeping it accessible during an emergency.
The security code required to open the cabinet could be obtained through the ambulance service when someone called 999.
This meant the equipment could be accessed quickly while emergency services provided instructions and assistance.
Supporting the Hartshill community
The installation represented an important addition to the facilities available around the Institute's Hartshill Road site.
While NSMI was primarily known for supporting medical research, education and conferences, the project also demonstrated its connection with the wider community.
The fundraising campaign was a collective achievement made possible through the support of local residents, organisations and Institute staff.
By installing a publicly accessible AED, the Institute helped ensure that potentially life-saving equipment was available should it ever be needed.