Life-saving kit presented to East Riding recycling sites
Tue 28th February 2023
Life-saving equipment has been presented to all 10 household waste recycling sites in the East Riding.
The waste and recycling team at East Riding of Yorkshire Council has given every site a defibrillator machine, just in case of medical emergencies and they are urgently needed by visitors or staff.
The portable, hand-held devices are designed to send an electric pulse, or shock, to a heart to restore a normal heartbeat, if a person is showing signs of having a heart attack.
The council has invested £7,000 in the machines as a precautionary measure.
Staff at each of the household waste recycling sites, managed for the council by FCC Environment, have all been specially trained in how to use and maintain the machines.
Councillor Chris Matthews, the council’s portfolio holder for environment and climate change, said: “The waste and recycling team has bought these defibrillators as a precaution.
“Our recycling sites are generally in rural locations and if an accident were to happen on site, there may not be easy access to medical help apart from waiting for an ambulance.
“This way, action can be taken quickly to potentially save someone’s life. Obviously, we hope they never get used, but they are there if needed.
“We get people from every demographic using these sites every day, including older people with medical conditions, so it makes sense to have something in place to help, just in case.”
The defibrillators can only be used by trained staff when the sites are open, from 10am to 5pm each day.
The 10 household waste recycling sites are at Carnaby, Driffield, Beverley, Hornsea, Humberfield at Hessle/North Ferriby, Market Weighton, Pocklington, Preston, Withernsea, and Airmyn near Goole.
