The Municipality of Albufeira will install 13 automatic defibrillators «on the public road, next to municipal buildings and in key areas of the municipality, so that all protection and relief agents can act immediately in case of cardiorespiratory arrest», announced the municipality.
The Albufeira External Automatic Defibrillation Program will start operating in October and, in addition to the placement of automatic defibrillators, it also includes «training in Basic Life Support (SBV) and Automatic External Defibrillation (AED) for 170 people, including civilians, employees municipal authorities and elements of the GNR and the Voluntary Firemen».
The DAE equipment will be installed on the public road, in booths specially prepared for this purpose and signposted, next to anchor buildings such as some of the municipal infrastructures, parish councils and other places with the greatest affluence of people: Paços do Concelho, Pavilhão Desportivo Municipal, Municipal Swimming Pools, Av. Sá Carneiro (Oura), Av. Da Liberdade (Pharmacy Alves de Sousa), Posto GNR on Av. 25 de Abril (Baixa de Albufeira), Pau da Bandeira Viewpoint, Parish of Ferreiras (roundabout), Parish da Guia (next to Chapel), parish of Olhos de Água (Rua Torre da Medronheira), parish of Paderne (Health Post), Albufeira Fire Department (mobile DAE for events use), Municipal Police (mobile DAE).
«Sudden cardiac death represents, in developed countries, including Portugal, the main cause of mortality. In Portugal it is estimated that there are 10 cases of sudden cardiac death every year, which corresponds to an average of 27 cases per day. In these situations we have to be very quick to act because with each passing minute, the probability of the victim to survive decreases by about 2%, which means that after 10 minutes the best medical team in the world can arrive, which will no longer be able to do nothing for the victim», explained Marco Castro, director of the company Ocean Medical, responsible for installing the AEDs.
The mayor of Albufeira Carlos Silva e Sousa guaranteed to be "attentive to this reality", hence the decision to move towards this program.
“I hope these devices fulfill their purpose which is to save lives. We will network with the various law enforcement agencies, civil protection, maritime authorities and firefighters, developing a training program for all interested parties. A minute can save a life», wished the mayor.
"I am delighted that there is a Chamber to launch this project, which will have the capacity for early resuscitation and defibrillation and thus manage to save lives in a municipality that has a floating population that, at certain times of the year, far exceeds the number of residents ”” stressed cardiologist Jorge Mimoso, member of the board of the Portuguese Society of Cardiology, adding that “the municipality is providing a service not only to Albufeira, but also to the country and to all those who visit us”.
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