Dad whose son, 12, died during swimming race hails schools defibrillator rollout
A dad whose son died during a school swimming race has welcomed the start of the rollout of lifesaving defibrillators for every school.
Campaigner Mark King said the move would mean lives are saved so "families do not have to suffer the heartbreak of unnecessarily losing a child".
Oliver, 12, a pupil at King David High School in Childwall, Liverpool, died from Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome (SADS) in March 2011.
His family started the Oliver King Foundation charity to improve access to defibrillators, which they believe could have saved his life.
The Mirror is campaigning for all public buildings to include the devices - and the Government vowed to put defibrillators in all state schools by June this year.
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More than 20,000 are needed to meet the target to get the vital kit into nearly 18,000 schools in England.
Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said: “Today we’re celebrating a huge milestone as we start deliveries of defibrillators to schools, working towards every school having one by the end of the academic year."
Education Secretary Gillian Keegan (Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)Mr King said: "This is a landmark moment and will be welcomed by pupils, parents and teachers up and down the country.
“It is a proud day for us because we've campaigned for schools to have access to defibrillators for over a decade. It is a major victory for the Oliver King Foundation.
“Defibrillators save lives and I have no doubt that lives will now be saved so that families do not have to suffer the heartbreak of unnecessarily losing a child. This is for our Ollie."
Sue Hampshire, of the Resuscitation Council, said: “It’s great news that a defibrillator is being given to every state school without one during the current school year.
“Early CPR and defibrillation can more than double survival rates, therefore this initiative will help to save young lives, and anyone can use a defibrillator, they tell you exactly what to do.
“The DfE programme will achieve greater defibrillator coverage across England if they are placed on school gates and accessible to whole communities, rather than being locked inside schools.”
Ex-Education Minister Jonathan Gullis, a former teacher who chairs Westminster’s All-Party Parliamentary Group on access to defibs, said: "This is excellent news that the Government is delivering on its promise to get these important life saving machines into schools.”
The Conservative MP added: “This was something the APPG for Defibrillators was calling to see happen quickly, despite challenges over supply chains globally, and I want to thank campaigners and Mirror readers for their continued pressure for this to be delivered."
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More than 30,000 people suffer cardiac arrests outside hospital every year in the UK. Just one in 10 survives.
MP Jonathan Gullis, seen with former Prime Minister Boris Johnson (Getty Images)Public defibrillators, which deliver a shock to restart the heart, are used in less than a tenth of cases, according to the British Heart Foundation.
Research shows using a defib within five minutes raises the chance of survival by more than 40%.
The Government announced last month that 1,000 more defibrillators will be placed in communities across the country.
A £1million government fund is set to increase the availability of the gadgets in parks, post offices and shops.
The importance of quick access to defibs was dramatically highlighted in June 2021 when Danish footballer Christian Eriksen collapsed during a European Championship match.
Christian Eriksen benefited from a defibrillator at the match when he collapsed (Matt West/REX/Shutterstock)Ministers want organisations to bid for a slice of the cash and secure match funding - potentially doubling the number of new automated external defibrillators (AEDs) expected to be provided under the scheme.
Campaigners said 2023 should mark a turning point for availability of the gadgets.
The Mirror is campaigning for a law to ensure defibrillators are legally required at locations such as schools, sports grounds and public buildings.
A Private Member’s Bill spearheaded by DUP MP Jim Shannon is due for its second reading in the Commons in March.
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