Heart patients across the island can now rest at ease, as the Jamaica National Building Society Foundation and the Heart Foundation of Jamaica have recently acquired 10 defibrillators for use in public areas across the country.

Through the Public Access to Defibrillation Programme, the life-saving machines will be placed in 10 strategic locations across the island, including seven 'high-traffic' JNBS branches. These are Half-Way Tree, Spanish Town, May Pen, Savanna-la-Mar, Linstead, Morant Bay and Brown's Town.

Other locations

The remaining three machines will be placed at the Civic Centre in St. James, Independence Park in Kingston and the Percy Junor Hospital in Manchester.

As part of the $2 million initiative, the Heart Foundation has agreed to train and certify select members of the JNBS staff in CPR and use of the equipment.

According to Ruth Jankee, general manager of the JNBS Foundation, the project is geared towards saving lives.

"The strategic placements of the machines are to ensure accessibility across the island," said Mrs. Jankee. "The Independence Park, which includes the National Stadium and Arena, is frequently the site of events with thousands in attendance. Having a defibrillator on hand will boost the first- response capacity of the stadium staff in the event that some one has a heart attack," she added.

The defibrillator is a simple but effective device, used to deliver a therapeutic dose of electrical energy to the heart.