Local Lancashire car and van dealerships have life-saving defibrillators fitted as part of a nationwide initiative.
Swansway Motor Group has recently completed the installation of defibrillators at all their sites, including Lancashire-based Blackburn Audi, Preston Audi, and Volkswagen Van Centre Preston.
Since April 2022, Swansway Motor Group has invested £7,500 in the installation of 10 defibrillators at their retailers in Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Staffordshire, and the West Midlands.
In addition to the new defibrillators fitted, Swansway Motor Group have previously installed 12 defibrillators, bringing the total across the group to 22.
This has been an important project for the car dealer group to complete, giving back to the community in the areas they do business is a continuous aim for Swansway Motor Group. The installation of the defibrillators is just one example of this.
Swansway Motor Group health and safety manager Andrew Darlington commented: “We are pleased to have completed the installation of defibrillators across the group. Our hope is that a circumstance never arises where they will need to be used, however, it is safer that the option is there.
"We are keen to make the news known in the areas we operate so that the public is aware of where they can find a defibrillator if they need one.”
Defibrillators should only be used if someone is unresponsive and not breathing normally, if you see someone experiencing cardiac arrest, you should call 999 and immediately start CPR, if possible, send someone else to collect a defibrillator, whilst you continue CPR.
You do not need to be trained to use a defibrillator; simply turn on the machine and follow its clear instructions. Once you have attached the sticky pads to the patient’s chest, you can stop CPR. The defibrillator will then assess the patient’s heart rate and determine whether a shock is necessary, from here it will inform you of your next steps, whether that be to shock the patient or continue CPR. It is important to remember that if the patient requires a shock, you must not touch them whilst they are being shocked.
In the Lancashire area, Swansway Motor Group has defibrillators in the following locations:
Blackburn Audi
Trident Park
Whitebirk Drive
Blackburn
BB1 3HT
Preston Audi
Nelson Way
Riversway Motor Park
Preston
PR2 2JZ
Volkswagen Van Centre Lancashire
Millenium Road
Preston
PR2 5BL
You can find out more about the location of Swansway Motor Group’s defibrillators on The Circuit – the national defibrillator network.