People living in Milton will soon have access to a life-saving piece of equipment that could help someone suffering from a cardiac arrest.

Funded by the East of England Ambulance NHS Trust, as part of an innovation scheme, an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) has been placed at the Parish Council Office which members of the public will be able to use in the event of an emergency. It could mean the difference between life and death for someone suffering from a sudden cardiac arrest.

Thompson Electrical were kind enough to install the device for free, as they do a lot of work in Milton and wanted to do something for the residents of the village.

Villlagers are being invited to find out more about the device at the Parish Council Office, Coles Road, Milton, CB24 6BL on Wednesday (26/2) from 12 noon.

Sudden Cardiac Arrest affects 150,000 people of all ages each year in the UK. The only effective treatment for Sudden Cardiac Arrest is CPR and early defibrillation. The chance of success is reduced by 7-10% every minute, so the probability of survival is increased significantly when bystanders initiate CPR and defibrillation immediately.

An automated external defibrillator is an easy-to-use device that can help a member of the public to treat a patient in cardiac arrest until the ambulance arrives.

The Parish Council along with the East of England Ambulance NHS Trust will perform the opening ceremony and unveil the AED. During the launch, visitors will be able to learn more about using the AED to help someone who has suffered a SCA. There will be a demonstration of the AED, showing how easy it is to operate.