Ensuring there are as many heart safe places about so people are protected against Sudden Cardiac Arrest is one of defibshop’s ultimate goals and it doesn’t go unnoticed when we see someone, a company or a community group paying it forward. That is exactly what the Freemasons group of East Lancashire has done.

The Freemasons of East Lancashire have kindly invested in a life-saving AED which they have chosen to donate to the Port of Manchester unit of the Maritime Volunteer Service (MVS).

About the Maritime Volunteer Service

Educating members in all aspects of maritime and communication skills, the MVS promotes the preservation of life and property within the maritime environment and helps local organisations and events with skilled support and stimulates interest in maritime affairs.

The training provided to members of the MVS is then used to help benefit their local community.

The Maritime Volunteer Service operates in a huge area, covering all the canals and waterways in Greater Manchester. This includes Bury and Bolton in the North, Stockport in the South, Oldham and Rochdale in the East and Salford in the West. The unit is in regular contact with the public of all these areas and often assists during major events.

“The Maritime Volunteer Service is grateful to the Freemasons of East Lancashire for their kind donation and to defibshop for supplying such an amazing piece of equipment.

"The unit will hopefully never have the need to use the new device, but everyone can be assured that it will accompany us to all future events and should the need arise we now have the equipment to potentially save a life.  Our statement is 'We Change Lives' and with this donation we can certainly do that."

freemasons-2defibshop Manager, Millie McDonagh presents the AED. 

The Freemasons of East Lancashire are looking to support more good causes for charities and organisations in the Salford area.

The Statistics

Unlike other cardiac events, there are no prior symptoms to falling victim to cardiac arrest and regardless of whether you’re a couch potato or an Olympic athlete, no one is immune. Factoring aspects such as age, gender, current fitness level and ethnicity do not factor into determining the cause of the cardiac arrest.

The only definitive treatment for a victim of Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is effective CPR delivered on the ratio of 30 chest compressions to 2 rescue breaths and defibrillation of the heart from an Automated External Defibrillator (AED). The shock provided by the defibrillator can correct the heart’s irregular rhythm by restoring it back to a normal rhythm.

For every minute that treatment is delayed, the casualty’s chance of survival decreases 10% whereas if treatment is delivered within 3-5 minutes of collapse, the chance of survival increases from 6% to 74%.