Hertfordshire County Council has installed life-saving defibrillators in all 16 of its operational recycling centres - including North Herts.

With an annual footfall of 1.6 million visitors, the centres which include Letchworth and Stevenage are set up to save lives should they ever be needed. Defibrillators are medical devices that help and support a patient by giving a high energy electric shock to the heart of someone who is in cardiac arrest. 

The equipment will benefit local communities and all residents and staff on sites right across the county.

No specialist training is required to use defibrillators as they give audible instructions to the operator step by step throughout the process.

Morris Bright, Executive Member for Public Health and Community Safety, Hertfordshire County Council said: "I'm delighted that our recycling centres are all now able to offer an improved emergency First Aid response.

"It means that in addition to defibrillators provided to community groups we now have over 60 emergency devices available across Hertfordshire."Staff also receive enhanced first aid training to assist with their understanding and use of the equipment as well as improving the health and safety provision on the centres.

"As a fail-safe, the devices detect a patient's condition once the pads are attached and will not administer a shock to anyone who doesn't require it."

All equipment has been provided by Public Health with the support of London Hearts, the UK's leading defibrillator charity.