'Simple and practical': Councillors agree proposal to help save lives in Waterford estates

Members of Waterford City and County Council have passed a motion calling on building developers to include AED defibrillators in all new housing estates in the region.

The motion was brought forward by Fine Gael councillor Lola O'Sullivan at the September plenary meeting of Waterford City and County Council.

The motion reads: "That Waterford City and County Council actively encourage all developers to provide AEDs in all new housing developments, recognising the critical need of AEDs to save lives in the case of sudden cardiac arrest and that the Council further explores ways to support, promote and facilitate provisional accessibility to AEDs in residential communities across the city and county."

Introducing the motion, Cllr O’Sullivan described it as a “simple and practical step that could save lives”.

She commented: “I bring this motion before the council because sudden cardiac arrest is one of the leading causes of unexpected deaths, and the availability of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) can make the difference between life and death.”

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Statistics from the HSE show that in one year alone, 2,857 'out of hospital' cardiac arrests were reported across Ireland.

According to the statistics, more than three quarters (78%) of these occurred in private settings, with 68% occurring in the home, compared to just 24% in public places.

Cllr O’Sullivan continued: “What this tells us very clearly is that most cardiac arrests happen not in public spaces where AEDs are sometimes available but in the home in residential settings.

“If we are serious about safeguarding our communities, then we must consider how AEDs can be made accessible where people live.”

Cllr O’Sullivan concluded by saying that the motion was not just a policy but “a commitment to stronger, safer and healthier communities for people in Waterford”.

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A cardiac arrest is a sudden and unexpected stopping of the heart’s beating.

When someone goes into cardiac arrest, the heart stops pumping blood effectively and blood, and by extension oxygen, stops flowing to the brain and other vital organs.

The person collapses, becomes unresponsive and in many cases, stops breathing.

An AED defibrillator is a device that attempts to get the heart beating again, usually by delivering a controlled electric shock.

Cllr O’Sullivan’s motion was seconded by her Fine Gael colleague, Cllr Tom Cronin, who suggested that having a defibrillator installed could even become part of the planning process moving forward.

The motion was unanimously supported by all members present.