The Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) has today backed Cumbria’s 100 Defibrillators in 100 Days appeal.
The campaign was launched today with the aim of raising enough money to buy 100 defibrillator machines in 100 days.
The campaign was the brainchild of Barrow Borough Councillor John Murphy and his late wife, Eleanor, in Furness. The new county-wide appeal has been launched with the former mayor’s permission and is dedicated in Mrs Murphy’s memory.
Cumbria County Council chairman, Alan Barry, aims to use his chairman’s fundraising appeal to pay for the machines to be located in communities across the county.
GNAAS, which operates the Pride of Cumbria aircraft out of Langwathby, near Penrith, has recently equipped the helicopter with a portable defibrillator to accompany an advanced machine on board. The portable machine was bought for instances where the aircrew have to travel on foot to the patient, often across difficult terrain.
Terry Sharpe, paramedic on the Pride of Cumbria aircraft, said: “CPR is absolutely fantastic and should be taught in schools because it can make a big difference, but it is only ever a holding method until you can get a defibrillator to the scene. The defibrillator is the real difference between life and death and this initiative would save a tremendous amount of lives in Cumbria.”
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