Police in Hounslow are being issued with defibrillator units as a London trial continues to be rolled out in the city.

London Ambulance Service (LAS) and the Met Police are extending the initiative which sees police officers responding alongside ambulance crews to life-threatening emergencies in London.

Following the successful trial in four London boroughs, including Ealing , Hounslow will receive 22 life-saving units from Monday (August 7).

Figures show the portable units massively boost the survival chances of people in cardiac arrest.

One of the defib units which are being issued to police forces in London

In London, the average cardiac survival rate stands at nine per cent, but at Heathrow Airport the survival rate leaps up to 75% thanks to the availability of both Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) and staff and emergency services personnel who are trained to use them effectively.

The emergency services say survival rates will increase as a result of the partnership, with dozens of lives saved each year.

Chris Hartley-Sharpe, head of first responders at LAS, said: “Every second counts when someone is in cardiac arrest. The only way to restart a heart is with a defibrillator, so the sooner one arrives with someone trained to use it, the better the outcome for the patient.

“While we will always send an ambulance response as a priority, by working together with the police service we can ensure patients in cardiac arrest receive vital treatment as quickly as possible.”

Police in Hounslow are being issued with 22 defibs

As part of the initiative, police officers equipped with defibrillators, who are available to respond, will be alerted to a potential cardiac arrest at the same time as ambulance crews, which means that if they reach the patient first, or are already on scene, they can begin providing life-saving treatment until a skilled clinician arrives.

Sue Warner, strategic health and safety adviser from the Met said: “We are delighted to be working with the London Ambulance Service to save lives across London.

“Equipping our response team vehicles and station offices with this essential life saving equipment will enable our officers to respond to these critical life or death emergency calls.”

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