Buxton Freemasons seek location for new public access defibrillator close to Spring Gardens

The Phoenix Lodge of St Ann has around £1,400 set aside to fund the purchase and installation of the life-saving device and now need to identify the spot where it will do the most good in an emergency.

Mason Alan Burgess said: “We had a fundraising event for it a couple of years ago but then had difficulty finding a site. We were thinking of somewhere around the NatWest building but we encountered some planning problems.

“With Covid it fell by the wayside for a while but the money is still there and we want to see it used.”

He added: “I know there was a recent case of a lady who collapsed at the bottom of Spring Gardens. You can’t say for sure, but she could have been helped more quickly if someone had immediate access to one of these devices.”

Public access defibrillators have become an increasingly common sight in recent years, with experts saying that they can make all the difference in quickly treating a person in cardiac arrest.

The machines require no training to use, and can be rapidly employed in the first few minutes while waiting for paramedics to arrive.

Funded by community groups, councils and charities, the defibrillators are normally located in workplaces and public spaces with high footfall like shopping centres, community centres, and train stations.

Devices have been recorded at the Springs Shopping Centre, Pavilion Gardens, Poole’s Cavern Visitor Centre, Morrisons on Bakewell Road, Connex Community Support on Eagle Parade, and Buxton 4 Youth on Market Street.

Alan said: “There doesn’t seem to be a complete record of all the defibrillators already installed in Buxton, but I think a lot of them are kept behind closed doors so we want to find somewhere that is open to the general public around the clock.”

Anyone who might be able to house a defibrillator in the Spring Gardens area can contact Alan on 01298 24941.

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