Isle of Man: Map of island's defibrillators put online

Steve Jackson of MNH and Paul Healey of Craig's Heartstrong Foundation, with a defibrillator at the House of Manannan

A map of defibrillator locations on the Isle of Man, which pinpoint exact locations of the life-saving equipment, has been put online by Manx Care.

The map will help emergency services direct callers dealing with a cardiac arrest to the nearest device.

Shops and offices with defibrillators have also been urged to register.

A senior paramedic said cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was vital for survival but only defibrillation could restore the heart's rhythm.

Dave Scambler, who has been involved in the map's launch, said sudden cardiac arrest could happen "to anyone at any time, often without warning".

'First response'

Cardiac arrest happens when the heart's rhythm is suddenly disrupted causing an irregular heartbeat, which hinders blood flow to the brain and other organs.

Defibrillators deliver a shock to the heart to restore a normal rhythm.

Mr Scrambler said CPR was "a vital part of the chain of survival" but it was a temporary measure and would "not restart the heart".

"Defibrillation is the only way to re-establish the heart's natural rhythm," he said.

Mr Scrambler urged anyone who has a device on their premises to register to "help us to save lives".

Manx Care CEO, Teresa Cope, said the scheme had been "several years in the making" and would "help us to provide the most effective first response to casualties".

Charity Craig's Heartstrong Foundation, which fundraises to provide public access to the devices, said: "We are absolutely delighted that years of work and efforts have come to this."

"If you have a machine please get it added to the system as soon as possible so we can have a greater idea of where they are and how accessible they can be," it added.