The number of life-saving defibrillators available across East Lancashire has increased in the past six months, with Blackburn with Darwen and Hyndburn among the areas showing some of the strongest growth.
According to the latest data, Blackburn with Darwen now has 12 defibrillators per 10,000 people – a rise of 9.9 per cent since February.
In Hyndburn, the figure has also climbed to 12, up 6.3 per cent over the same period.
Across the region, Pendle has seen a 9.8 per cent increase to 10.4 per 10,000 people, while Rossendale recorded the biggest rise of all, up 14.7 per cent to 16.4.
Ribble Valley, which already had the highest coverage in East Lancashire, is now at 29.6 defibrillators per 10,000 people – up 1.6 per cent.
Burnley remains steady at 9.2 per 10,000, showing no overall change in recent months.
An update from defibshop released for Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month this October revealed active defibrillators across the UK have risen by 9.4 per cent – from 96,145 to 105,199 – between the first and third quarters of the year.
That represents more than 9,000 newly active devices and an average 10.3 per cent increase in defibrillators per 10,000 people across local authorities.
The North West as a whole saw an increase of 10 per cent, adding an extra 1.03 defibrillators per 10,000 residents.
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Kerry Fairhurst, head of marketing & eCommerce at defibshop, said: “Out-of-hospital cardiac arrests continue to take the lives of most people who suffer one.
"The growth in registered defibrillators on The Circuit (National Defibrillator Network) over the last two years has been significant, allowing an increased chance of survival to many more individuals.
"It is vital that this trend continues and Guardians ensure their unit is ready in the event of an emergency and their status is communicated with The Circuit.”
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