A taxi driver has bought a £1,000 defibrillator out of his own money to help save lives.
Richard Le Blond has been taxiing since 1976 and currently works for Southside Cars. The Clifton-based taxi firm claim they are the first taxi company in Nottingham to have a defibrillator in their fleet.
Driver’s Determination to Help Save Lives
The idea to provide a defibrillator in his cab first came to light during his regular trips taking elderly passengers to and from hospital. It was then he realised that there was limited options for emergency care if someone was to take unwell.
Richard said: “I was taking some people down to Queen’s Medical Centre when I realised there wasn’t many defibrillators around that I knew about and I’ve never known of one in a taxi before. I bought one for just over £1,000 and my manager said it was a great idea.
“The defibrillator is into its second week of being in the cab. It wouldn’t just be for me to have, I would have it in the office if I was away. I’m fully trained in using it safely through St John Ambulance first aid and CPR training. It’s quite self-explanatory.”
Southside Cars general manager, Brent Foster, said: “We’re the first and only company in Nottingham to have a driver with a defibrillator in a taxi. Mr Le Blond is fully trained to use it. There’s quite a lot of elderly people in the community and a few with heart conditions, so I think it’s great we’re providing it and took it upon ourselves to raise awareness.”
Potential Fundraising for More Defibrillators
The taxi company highlights the potential to fundraise and provide more defibrillators among their fleet.
“In the UK, there’s an estimated 30,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests every year and, tragically, less than 1 in 10 people survive.”
Brent adds: “We have up to sixty drivers, so it could provide the opportunity to start fundraising and provide more of them. Unfortunately, ambulances can take time and in some situations people are waiting to be taken to hospital for thirty or forty minutes.
“A charity in Lancashire, Heart Failure Aware, have reached out to us to say how important the decision is for potentially saving lives.”
Head of Survival at the British Heart Foundation, Sarah Askew, said: “In the UK, there’s an estimated 30,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests every year and, tragically, less than 1 in 10 people survive.
“For every minute that passes without CPR and defibrillation, a person’s chances of surviving a cardiac arrest falls by around 10 per cent. We encourage all communities to learn CPR skills and know the whereabouts of their nearest public access defibrillator, so that they are equipped with the skills and knowledge to save a life.”