Life-saving defibrillator to return to Charing Cross

Monday 16 September 2019

A life-saving defibrillator, which was removed from outside the Co-op at Charing Cross after an islander hit their arm on it, will be reinstalled outside the shop's entrance.

The Public Access Defibrillator (PAD) was fixed on the Co-Op Locale building, but was moved inside the store manager’s office after the Parish of St. Helier told the Co-Op it was "a hazard to pedestrians".

The Channel Islands Co-operative Society explained the Parish had said the defibrillator was at "a ‘pinch point', which overhangs the footway and has been identified as an obstruction."

The company said there was no other suitable and safe location outside the store, so they decided to move it inside, where it would be available to those who may need it during the shop’s trading hours.

Pictured: The defibrillator was installed at the corner of the Co-Op Locale at Charing Cross.

Silvio Alves, St. Helier's Head of Infrastructure, said the Parish had contacted the store after receiving a complaint from a member of the public who did not expect the defibrillator to be where it was and hit their arm on it.

“The Cooperative defibrillator at the corner of its Charing Cross property was positioned where an unsuspecting child could hit its head or an adult could injure him or herself in a clash with the defibrillator, which protruded from the building line a considerable amount,” he explained. 

"...The Parish and colleagues at Growth, Housing and Environment reviewed the defibrillator’s location, it was agreed that this caused a risk and had to be relocated.”

A real shame to see a vital piece of life saving equipment removed from our town today. Speaking to the manager @CI_Coop they have been told to take it down. We need more Public Access Defibrillator sites around #Jersey not less. Is there a solution @StHelierJsy @SimonCrowcroft pic.twitter.com/wR53iODDUH

— Gordon Hunt (@gordonjersey1) September 11, 2019

After the decision and the paramedic's comments were reported by Express, many took to social media to comment on the decision, with some branding it as "ridiculous" or even a joke.

Mark Cox, the Co-Op's acting Chief Executive Officer, announced this afternoon that the device would soon be reinstalled outside the store, adding he was "pleased to see common sense has prevailed."

@gordonjersey1 thank you for all of your help, pleased to see common sense has prevailed and we can get the Defibrillator reinstalled externally @CI_Coop Charing Cross - power of social media pic.twitter.com/Qv9l4WBrvL

— Mark Cox (@MarkCoxJsy) September 16, 2019

In a statement, Mr Cox said the defibrillator would be relocated outside the store entrance. "We need to get power and install the cabinet but we hope to be able to do this as quickly as possible," he added.

"The power of social media over the weekend has enabled us to get the relevant authorities together today and achieve this positive outcome," Mr Cox wrote.

"We are very grateful to the community for their support which has allowed us to get this vital piece of equipment back where it belongs and accessible 24/7 on the external of the building." 

The Parish confirmed the decision saying that a new location for the defibrillator had been agreed. "It will be in situ as soon as practicable and will be located next to the entrance door into the store," the Parish said.

"We take this opportunity to thank the Cooperative Society for their assistance and agreement to relocate the defibrillator. We encourage organisations and individuals wishing to install a defibrillators to the outside of their property that will result in the defibrillator enclosure encroaching out onto the public pavement, in the first instance, to please contact the Parish or Growth Housing and Environment to discuss and agree a suitable location."