A pioneering project between West Midlands Ambulance Service and Central Motorway Police Group (CMPG) means millions of drivers are a little bit safer.
As part of a project to install 500 automatic external defibrillators (AED) across the West Midlands, the WMAS has installed one of the lifesaving machines in each of the 27 police vehicles that the police unit operates across the motorway network.
CMPG is made up of staff from West Midlands, West Mercia and Staffordshire Police forces. The area covered stretches from the Welsh borders to the northern border with Cheshire. This patch covers approximately 400 miles of motorway including eight motorway service areas.
WMAS Community Response Manager, Matt Heward, said, “Tens of thousands of motorists use our motorways every single day. Some parts of the motorway network are very remote, so by having more defibs out there, we are increasing the chances of saving a life if a very serious accident happens. We installed the first three machines a couple of years ago, but the current project has allowed us to finish off the programme. This move now means that every fire engine, ambulance and police car that attends an incident on the motorway will carry a defib.”
Inspector Paul Bennett, from the Collision Investigation Unit, said, “CMPG attends more than 300 fatal and life changing injury incidents every year. We have already had cause to use the defibs, so by increasing the number we have can only increase the chances of saving a life.”
Jed White, Chief Inspector (Operations) with CMPG, added, “We try and make the road network as safe as possible. We want everyone home safe every day, so if we can respond as police officers to an incident where a defibrillator is required then that will be of great benefit to the public. This is a really positive project that will undoubtedly benefit for the public.”
