eStar, the Mercedes-Benz Truck and Van franchise partner in the North West and North Wales, has installed five AEDs (Automated External Defibrillators) – one at each site across Deeside, Knowsley Truck and Knowsley Van, Stoke-on-Trent, and Trafford Park.
As part of eStar’s commitment to the community, the defibrillators have been purchased and installed in accessible areas across the five locations. They have been publicly registered so that 999 call handlers can direct members of the public to them in an emergency; 30,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen each year in the UK, and sadly 9 out of 10 are fatal.
Using a defibrillator within the first minute of collapse, can mean the survival rate can be as high as 90%, and using a defibrillator within 3-5 minutes of a cardiac arrest increases survival rates from 6% to 74%.
Kate Howdon, Head of HR at eStar, championed the purchase of these life-saving devices. She said: “Coming from a medical family, I know how vitally important these AED’s can be. I’m so proud to work for a company that cares, and cares not only for our colleagues and customers, but also for our surrounding neighbours and the public. These defibs are now on the public network, which means in an emergency, any member of the public can call 999, and the operator will direct the caller to our defibrillator’s location. Hopefully they won’t need to be used, but the peace of mind that they’re there, is priceless.”
