A LIFE-SAVING defibrillator will be installed on Main Street to help deal with emergencies.

The device is to be placed outside the Co-op store, by Cumbria County Council, as it deemed this site the most appropriate.

It will be installed on Wednesday, January 20.

A council spokesman said: “The decision has been taken to introduce the Community Public Access Defibrillator (CPAD) in Egremont on the Co-op site, in order to maximise the reach and capacity to serve the community.”

CPADs give clear spoken instructions to the person initiating the treatment, meaning training is not required.

And, once in position, the defibrillator detects the heart’s rhythm, administering a shock only if it is needed.

The council spokesman added: “The council believes firmly in the principles of the British Heart Foundation’s Heartstart campaign and we have shown our commitment to the chain of survival initiative through our 2013 chairman’s appeal, where we placed CPADs in the heart of local communities across the county. Since embarking on the campaign we have received three Gold Cardiac Smart Awards from the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS).

“We are continuing our commitment to decrease the number of fatalities caused by ‘out of hospital cardiac arrest’ by working closely with NWAS to install CPADs in appropriate locations across Cumbria.”

The chain of survival initiative refers to a five-step process which improves chances of survival and recovery for victims of cardiac arrest.

This includes calling the emergency services, performing CPR, defibrillation, medical service care and advanced life support.

British Heart Foundation guidelines advise anyone who comes across a person who is not breathing, or is breathing erratically, that the most important thing is to call 999 and start CPR.

If you’re on your own, don’t interrupt the CPR to go and get a defibrillator but when possible send someone else to retrieve one.