Defibrillator now easier to access

For many years the public access defibrillator in Lauder was in the Black Bull Hotel with limited access, but now thanks to the Steve Cully Tribute Fund a new 24 hour accessible cabinet has been installed.
Paramedic Alan Watt from the Scottish Ambulance Service unveils Lauder's defibrillator, which is located outside the pharmacy, with Rosie Cully.Paramedic Alan Watt from the Scottish Ambulance Service unveils Lauder's defibrillator, which is located outside the pharmacy, with Rosie Cully.
Paramedic Alan Watt from the Scottish Ambulance Service unveils Lauder's defibrillator, which is located outside the pharmacy, with Rosie Cully.

The cabinet is on the outside of the town’s Pharmacy.

Paramedic Alan Watt from the Scottish Ambulance Service who lives in Lauder, said “It is part of a project we have been working on for some time. We’ve done a lot of research locally and I know from personal experience that this facility is working elsewhere. It can save lives.

“It is really important that we raise awareness as much as possible so that the public know where defibrillators are located.”

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The public access defibrillator is for anyone to use in the event of a cardiac arrest where someone is available to go and collect it while the other rescuer continues chest compressions. Rescuers are reminded that chest compressions are the most important part of any resuscitation and you should only for a defibrillator iff there are at least two rescuers.

There is no need to be trained in its use as the machine will talk rescuers through the process in an emergency, although we would recommend everyone learns how to use these lifesaving devices. If anyone in Lauder would like familiarisation on the defibrillator or if anyone would like to talk about raising funds for more defibrillators they can email Alan Watt at [email protected].

The Tour de Lauder cycling event that started in 2012 in memory of resident Steve Cully has raised over £100,000 pounds for Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland and is a fun day out for all the participants. It is thanks to the Tour-De Lauder committee and the sponsors that the town was able to install this cabinet.