Renfrewshire Council has committed to collaborating with partner organisations to enhance public awareness of defibrillators across the region, following a motion that received unanimous backing from councillors.
Motion Targets Better Access and Awareness
Councillor Robert Innes, SNP representative for Houston, Crosslee and Linwood, submitted the motion at a full council meeting. It calls for improved access to information on defibrillator locations and identification of gaps in provision. The motion was seconded by Councillor Stephen Burns, SNP representative for Paisley Southwest.
Councillor Innes said: "At the outset, I want to recognise the significant progress that has already been made across Renfrewshire in expanding access to these life-saving devices. Through the efforts of the council and its partners, defibrillators are now located across our learning estate, council facilities, leisure venues and community buildings, helping to ensure that more residents have access to emergency equipment when it is needed most."
Every Minute Matters in Cardiac Arrest
Innes emphasised the urgency: "We know that when someone suffers a sudden cardiac arrest, every minute matters. Early access to a defibrillator can make a critical difference to outcomes, which is why it's so important not only to have these devices in place but to ensure people know where they are and can access them quickly in an emergency."
The motion states that the council will "work with relevant partners to promote awareness of publicly accessible defibrillators across Renfrewshire, improve public access to information on their locations where possible, support the identification of gaps in provision, and explore opportunities to strengthen community engagement and accessibility through existing resources and partnership working."
Previous Expansion of Defibrillator Access
In September 2021, the council expanded availability by deciding to install defibrillators at the entrance of every primary school in Renfrewshire. While secondary schools already had them, it was agreed that if they were not accessible to communities, a second unit would be added at the entrance. That programme, approved by the finance, resources and customer services policy board, ensured 24/7 access to the emergency equipment.
Councillor Innes added: "None of us ever expect a family member, friend, neighbour or colleague to suffer a sudden cardiac arrest but if that moment comes we all want to know that every possible chance has been given to save a person's life."
