Life-saving defibrillators to be available at every Falkirk school
Every Falkirk Council primary and secondary school is set to become a location where local residents can access a defibrillator in an emergency.
37 schools will receive new external Public Access Defibrillators (PADs), bringing the total number of defibrillators at Falkirk schools to 50.
The first 10 devices have already been delivered, with the remainder due to arrive by the end of the year. Installation in external cabinets is planned to begin from January 2027.
Available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the defibrillators will be accessible to local residents as well as pupils, staff and visitors.
In an emergency, members of the public should call 999. Ambulance control can direct callers to the nearest available defibrillator and provide the access code needed to open the cabinet.
Councillor Iain Sinclair, spokesperson for Education, said:
Having access to a defibrillator can make a crucial difference when someone suffers a cardiac arrest.
"Schools are at the heart of our communities and are places people know and trust. By locating this equipment at schools across Falkirk, we're helping ensure it is close at hand when every second counts.
"This is about giving communities the best possible chance to act quickly when someone needs urgent help.
Alongside the rollout, pupils will learn what the devices do and how to use them.
Jon Reid, Director of Education, said:
We want young people to know what a defibrillator does and what action they can take if someone needs urgent help.
"These are practical skills they can carry beyond school and use throughout their lives.
Every device will be registered on The Circuit, the national defibrillator network used by ambulance services to identify the nearest available defibrillator during an emergency.
Each installation will include a fully automatic defibrillator, heated external cabinet, bleed control kit and additional emergency response equipment.
Falkirk Council is investing £50,000 in the programme and will maintain the equipment with support from community partners, including Forth Valley First Responder Group, which regularly checks the status of defibrillators across Falkirk.
The first schools to receive the new equipment are Grangemouth High School, Bonnybridge Primary School, Bowhouse Primary School, Deanburn Primary School, Ladeside Primary School, Nethermains Primary School, Shieldhill Primary School, St Joseph's Primary School, St Mary's Primary School and Whitecross Primary School.