EVERY school in Northern Ireland has now been fitted with a defibrillator following the rollout of hundreds of the life-saving machines.
First announced in November 2024, the initiative to instal Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) across the nation has seen 476 defibrillators delivered to schools.
The completion of the scheme was announced this week, meaning that all school premises in Northern Ireland now have access to the equipment.
Pictured (l to r) are Michael Allen, of the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service, Education Minister Paul Givan, Ballymoney High School Principal Jonny Bingham and Head of the British Heart Foundation Northern Ireland Fearghal McKinneySome of the devices will be placed in external cabinets at school boundaries making them accessible to the wider community outside school hours.
Education Minister Paul Givan said the importance of having such equipment at schools “cannot be overstated”.
“Schools are often situated at the centre of communities in our cities, towns and villages,” he said.
“They play a vital role in serving those communities and wider society, both as physical hubs and by equipping our children and young people with vital skills, knowledge and confidence that could potentially save lives,” Minister Givan explained.
“The rollout of these devices builds on existing requirements for schools to teach CPR and AED awareness within the curriculum.
“Together, these practical steps are hugely significant for the health and safety of our schools and the communities they serve.”
He added: “Every minute without CPR and defibrillation reduces a person’s chances of survival by up to 10%, so quick access to these devices is vital.
“By delivering on my commitment to provide these life-saving devices to every school in Northern Ireland, teachers, pupils and the wider community can now be reassured that a defibrillator will be within reach should an emergency strike.”
Head of the British Heart Foundation Northern Ireland, Fearghal McKinney welcomed today’s announcement.
“Each year over 1,400 people in Northern Ireland have an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and the survival rate is less than 1 in 10,” he said.
“Having defibrillators throughout schools in Northern Ireland and where possible, being accessible to the wider community, will undoubtedly increase the chance of saving more lives.”
He added: “We’ve been working with schools across Northern Ireland to support life-saving training with BHF’s interactive learning tool Classroom RevivR and have provided support and information to the Department to ensure teachers are equipped with all the tools they need to facilitate training.
“It’s vital that every school registers their defibrillator on The Circuit, the national defibrillator network.
“When someone collapses with a cardiac arrest, the person who witnesses it may not know the school has a defibrillator, where it’s kept, or how to access it.
“When a defibrillator is registered and 999 is called, the ambulance service can rapidly provide directions to the nearest available device.
“This avoids losing crucial, potentially lifesaving minutes. Registration is quick, free to do, and could help save a life.”
Since 2022, over 500 teachers in Northern Ireland have been trained through the Community of Lifesavers Programme, developed by the Department in partnership with CCEA and the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service.
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