A new defibrillator has been installed at Burnley Bus Station through a partnership between Burnley Borough Council and PCCU. The defibrillator, located on Croft Street, close to the Hackney Carriage taxi rank, was funded through a charitable donation by PCCU, the not-for-profit credit union that provides savings accounts, financial education and affordable loans to the local community.
In the UK, around 60,000 people have an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest every year and less than 1 in 10 people survive. According to the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) defibrillation within five minutes can result in survival rates as high as 70%.
The Burnley Bus Station defibrillator is registered on The Circuit – the national defibrillator network, which connects defibrillators to NHS ambulance services across the UK. In the North West there are over 8,900 defibrillators on The Circuit and 94,000 nationally. Yvette Browne, NWAS Community Resuscitation Engagement Officer highlighted how vital defibrillators in the community can be:
“Thousands of families in the UK are left devasted by cardiac arrest every year. Early use of a defibrillator with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can more than double a person’s chance of survival. The defibrillator is available for use when calling 999 and the closest available defibrillator will be allocated, anyone can use a defibrillator and is designed for the untrained user.”
Councillor Jack Launer, Burnley Council’s Executive Member for Housing, Health & Culture said:
“Burnley Bus Station is the busiest transport hub in the town. On a daily basis the location welcomes residents, students and visitors into the town. It also sits on the pathway of the recently completed Turf to Town project, which aims to bring more visitors from Burnley Football Club to the town centre. We are grateful to PCCU for selecting the location for this vital defibrillator. This life-saving device not only ensures the safety of uses of the bus station and passers by, but also demonstrates the powerful impact of community collaboration in fostering a safer environment for all.
“Burnley Council’s partnership with PCCU highlights the importance of community collaboration in making Burnley a safer place for everyone. I encourage all residents to familiarise themselves with the location and use of this defibrillator, as it could one day save a life.”
Lee Banks, PCCU Development Officer explained why the credit union decided to start this community focused project
“At PCCU’s 2024 AGM we returned £900,000 in dividends to our account holders, who then voted to support the communities we provide ethical savings and loan accounts to with a £20,000 charitable donation to install defibrillators. It has been a privilege to work with the NWAS and partners in the community, like Burnley Borough Council, across Lancashire and Cumbria, to install life-saving equipment. As not-for-profit cooperative we only operate to benefit our members and the wider community.”
