A new defibrillator has been installed at a crematorium in Lichfield.
The device, which can potentially save the life of someone suffering a cardiac arrest, has been fitted at the Lichfield & District Crematorium.
Dignity, the operator of the facility, have raised funds for the defibrillator through their charity partner, British Heart Foundation.
The installation comes after the deaths of two mourners at funerals in the UK due to heart problems in the past six months.
Jo Walker, crematorium manager, said: “Every minute without CPR or defibrillation reduces a person’s chance of surviving a cardiac arrest by around 10%.
“We will always call an ambulance but wanted to do everything we possibly can to provide immediate help.
“Our partnership with British Heart Foundation has enabled us to purchase a defibrillator to be located at the crematorium for use during an emergency.”
Dignity made British Heart Foundation their charity partner in 2017 and has already raised more than £450,000 by hosting events across the UK.
Donna Stokes, from the British Heart Foundation, said: “We thank Dignity for their commitment to the community and the money they have raised to fund life-saving research that helps keep more families together.
“Defibrillators need to be available in areas of greatest risk – such as where crowds gather,a location where people are naturally anxious or under stress or possibly somewhere that an ambulance may take time to reach due to traffic congestion or distance from a hospital – so a crematorium meets all of these requirements.”
