Almeria Province takes defibrillators to heart

A THIRD of Andalucia’s cardio-safe zones are located in Almeria Province.
Not counting those in hospitals and health centres, there are 92 semiautomatic defibrillators installed throughout the province which is committed to the “four-step chain of survival” for victims of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA).
The third step – defibrillation – follows on from contacting the authorities and performing CPR and precedes medics and paramedics’ care. Defibrillators are located in shopping centres, sports complexes, public buildings, schools, the airport and even the Calar Alta observatory, Health department sources revealed.
Twenty-three centres have gone still further by instructing staff and personnel in optimum methods of operating a defibrillator in the shortest possible space of time.