East Riding Councillor Paul West on the carrying of portable defibrillators on bin lorries
Councillor Paul West, East Riding Council’s cabinet member for environment and transport, pictured front, centre, at the launch of the pioneering scheme (Image: East Riding of Yorkshire Council)
East Riding of Yorkshire Council is leading the way in a pioneering scheme that could save lives. Soon, all 80 of the council’s refuse trucks will be carrying a portable defibrillator – a machine that uses an electric shock to the heart during cardiac arrest – in the cab as a matter of course.
The scheme, announced in March, is thought to be the first of its kind in the UK – and, backing the scheme, Hull Live is spreading the word and urging more councils, particularly those in more rural areas, to consider following in their footsteps. Councillor Paul West, East Riding Council’s cabinet member for environment and transport, was among the first to herald the adoption of portable defibrillators on every one of the authority’s bin wagons.
At the launch of the initiative, Cllr West said he was “delighted the East Riding is leading the way”. A matter of days later, another local authority inspired by news of the scheme was asking questions. Cllr West said: “Only a week after the launch, I received an email from an environment officer in North Yorkshire.
“They were asking about the scheme and its funding and looking to do something similar in North Yorkshire.” Cllr West said: “I think it’s a great scheme and hopefully we can save a life, if not a few lives, by having these defibrillators on board.”
Cllr West said the feedback from the refuse crews carrying the Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) – portable devices that deliver an electric shock to the heart during sudden cardiac arrests to restore its normal rhythm – had been “really positive”.
He said: “I think they feel they’re putting something back, as well as doing the job; it’s adding value to what they do.” Cllr West said: “It’s a really good initiative by the local authority in trying to engage people who work for the council.
“They seem really happy to be offering this service – obviously no one wants to have to use one of these – but the crews really seem to have bought into it. They have had training in how to use this bit of kit – it’s being delivered by Act Fast First Aid – and everyone is engaged with it.”
Cllr West said that having the life-saving devices on hand on known bin routes and rounds would no doubt be welcome in more remote communities where people were not as likely to have access to a defibrillator as they would in more urban settings. “I think it raises the issue of the rurality of the East Riding and how important it is to have these potentially life-saving machines available.”
The fact that many of the bin wagons were clearly marked as having a defibrillator on board was also helpful in spreading awareness, he said. “It’s a good way of spreading the message out.
“Our brown bin collections are weekly now, and chances are, a lorry will be coming down someone’s street when one of these machines could be needed.” Cllr West hoped that, going forward, the scheme could be linked in with Yorkshire Ambulance Service so there was live tracking of where the AEDs were at any given time.
Cllr West previously said at the launch of the initiative: “Our bin lorries travel thousands of miles on their rounds each week, visiting some of the most rural and remote places in the East Riding, so they are perfect to carry these life-saving devices just in case they are needed. I am particularly proud that all our bin crews will play a vital role in this project and will help to enhance our commitment to protecting lives, supporting residents and staff and making our communities safer.”
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