Every school in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides now has an automated external defibrillator (AED) installed, it has been announced.

The Stornoway Gazette reported on the development, noting that Scottish charity Lucky2BHere was behind the process of installing defibrillators in all the locations.

In addition to providing the devices, the charity has also been running defibrillator training sessions with children at the schools, with 874 pupils having received emergency life support training to date.

There are just four schools across the islands that have yet to receive training, although this will be delivered at some point in the future.

Speaking to the news provider, Angus McCormack, chair of the Education, Sport and Children’s Services Committee, commented: “This is an important development in providing lifesaving equipment and skills in our schools and also within our communities. I am delighted at the progress made on this initiative.”

The grant payment to Lucky2BHere, which has allowed the charity to carry out its work, was only approved in June 2016, so this is an impressive achievement in 12 months.

At the time that the £30,000 payment was approved, councillor Catriona Stewart highlighted the importance of having defibrillators available for the community, noting that all the new devices would be installed on the outside of school buildings to ensure they were available at any time and to anyone who needed them.

The founder of Lucky2BHere Ross Cowie knows just how important quick intervention is following cardiac arrest. He launched the charity after suffering a cardiac arrest himself and only being saved because an ambulance was close by at the time.

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