Hampshire waste centres to get defibrillators after worker died

St John Ambulance is expected to deliver 24 defibrillators to household waste centres across Hampshire

The death of a truck driver has fast-tracked plans to fit defibrillators at household waste recycling centres.

Hampshire County Council decided to install the machines after a 60-year-old truck driver died at the Marchwood centre in May.

He suffered a heart attack and was taken to University Hospital Southampton, where he later died.

Councillors hope the move will prevent future deaths.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), 24 centres in Hampshire will have defibrillators from St John Ambulance "imminently".

Councillor Edward Heron said plans to install the life-saving equipment had been in the works for "a couple of months."

Truck driver Martin Lucas was disposing of garden waste when the heart attack happened, LDRS reported.

Staff and members of the public went to his aid until paramedics arrived to transport him to hospital where he died.

Councillor David Harrison said: "Since Martin's death I've learned of another fatality at a Hampshire tip.

"This is something that I'm sure people will greatly welcome - with ambulance queues at hospitals, it sadly often falls to ordinary people to be the first responders for an incident.

"I think these defibrillators will make everybody feel that little bit safer."

Hampshire's tips are run by the private contractor Veolia, on behalf of the county council.

A Veolia spokeswoman said: "Our sites are visited by over 1.5m residents every year, so having this equipment available to use in an emergency situation could help to save a life."