A HUGE community effort inspired by a Port Seton family has seen new defibrillators installed across the community – with plans for more to follow.

Gordon and Karen Kidd were determined to help raise funds for the life-saving equipment – which gives an electric shock to the heart to someone who is in cardiac arrest – as well as awareness after losing close friends through heart attacks.

They realised they had no idea where their nearest public access defibrillator was located and set about fundraising to initially buy a couple for their local schools.

Less than a year later, however, their efforts have been supported by local groups, charities and well-wishers and they have not only installed defibrillators across the community but helped increase awareness of how to use them with drop-in sessions which have been attended by more than 100 local residents.

The Kidd family said they are now immensely proud to advise that the equipment is available at:

l Preston Lodge High School, where the defibrillator was gifted by the Walk With Scott Foundation and refurbished with the Kidd family’s raised funds;

l Thorntree Inn, which has a new defibrillator housed internally, bought through the fundraising;

l Cockenzie Primary School, where the Kidd family helped fund a 24-hour access cabinet to house equipment already donated by janitor Norrie Campbell;

l Links Road Garage, where another defibrillator gifted by the Walk with Scott Foundation to the Kidds was then refurbished by funds raised by the Enhanced Learning Provision at Preston Lodge High School and the school office staff and a 24-hour access cabinet bought with funds donated by a member of our community who wishes to remain anonymous.

Defibrillator equipment is also available at Port Seton Centre and the Harbours Medical Practice during opening hours, with fundraising under way to ensure public access defibrillators are available at both locations 24 hours a day with outdoor cabinets.

Karen said: “Although we hope that they will never need to be used, we’re delighted that we now have defibrillators placed at key points across Cockenzie and Port Seton and would like to take the opportunity to say a huge thanks to everyone that has contributed to our fundraising pot.

“We would urge everyone to familiarise themselves on where their nearest defibrillator is and to pop along to the next drop-in session to learn the basics of CPR, which we hope to hold in the summertime.

“Defibrillators are amazing, life-saving machines and when one is used within 3-5 minutes of cardiac arrest – along with effective CPR – the patient’s chance of survival increases from six per cent to 74 per cent.”

Fundraising is planned to extend access to the equipment and hold more community drop-in events where people can meet ambulance professionals, learn about how to use the equipment and CPR.

A full map of the locations of the equipment is due to be published in Cockenzie and Port Seton Community Council’s next newsletter.