An Angus community group have come together to help a family install a defibrillator at the bottom of their garden.
Jill Martin, from Monifieth, was inspired to install a defib within her street after witnessing the work of a local Patient Advisory Group (PAG) to place defibs within businesses.
However, after realising that some of them were not available 24/7 due to not being external, Jill got to work on fitting her own defib in the community.
A crowdfunding page was created by Jill’s neighbour, Daryl Barr, to try and raise money for at least one external defib, with local residents being encouraged to donate what they can.
As the result of a mass community effort, the defib has now been installed at the end of Jill’s garden on Colin Gibson Drive.
Community defibrillator
She said: “The defibrillator installed at the entrance to the estate on Colin Gibson Drive, DD5 4HA is a community installation for the community by the community.
“The children walked the dog around the estate and put a letter through all the doors asking that those, who were able, donated towards the community fund.
“We were also very fortunate to be the lucky recipient of a community grant from the The Lang Foundation.”
The Lang Foundation was established in 1987 and seeks to support a wide range of charities within the Dundee and Angus region.
“The defibrillator was ordered through Lynn, the area co-ordinator for St. Johns, who has been the contact for all the business defibrillators installed throughout the town (co-ordinated through the Patient Advisory Group PAG),” Jill continued.
Jill and her family contacted Jennifer Keohane of the community land factor Newton Factor Aberdeen for permission to site it on the communal land at the entrance to the estate to ensure maximum visibility for anyone entering the street.
Jennifer agreed to this and even offered to fund the installation, however, Tommy Guild, of electrical service G.A Helmore, got in touch and immediately said that he would not be charging for the hook up.
Jill’s son Andrew and her husband George dug the channel for the electrical cable, with Tommy wiring it into the garage.
All of the defibs in the community are connected to The Circuit so that they are checked regularly and maintained.
‘It could be the difference between someone surviving’
Jill added: “Lynn has now also kindly agreed to run a training session for up to 12 members of the community on December 10 in the Scout Hall at the Boyack Centre in Monifieth from 2pm until 4pm.
“If this session is fully committed she is happy to repeat as required and Leanne Webster of Monifieth Scouts has confirmed they won’t charge for the use of the hall as it is a community service event.
“I lost my only parent to a heart attack when I was in my early 20’s, Daryl’s father-in-law survived a similar situation so we both really appreciate the potential impact of getting access to a defibrillator ASAP.
“It would be fantastic if other communities followed this model and the idea spread.
“Obviously you hope it isn’t required but if it was needed it could be the difference between someone surviving or not.”
Conversation