ANYONE who suffers a cardiac arrest in Dunfermline town centre now has a better chance of surviving, thanks to the Press. 

Previously, if you fell ill in the morning, late at night or on a weekend, the chances were that the life-saving kit you needed was behind a locked door.

Our Take Heart campaign means there are now three Public Access Defibrillators (PADs) at the Kingsgate Shopping Centre and The Guildhall and Linen Exchange, both on High Street, and the City Hotel on Bridge Street. 

The portable devices deliver the vital spark that can prove the difference between life and death and they are now available for anyone to use in the case of an emergency, 24 hours a day.

Neil Mackie, manager at the Kingsgate and the new vice-chairman of Dunfermline Delivers, said: “The Press campaign has been totally invaluable. 

“Our facilities manager, Kenny Arnott, has done a sterling job in taking it forward but the Press have been fantastic in raising awareness and giving credibility to the initiative. 

“It’s a great example of a partnership approach, different groups and organisations coming together and delivering something for the good of the town.”

The Take Heart campaign was launched in August 2015 when we called for PADs to be placed in the town for anyone to use at any time, in case the very worst happens.

We found that while there are around 20 defibrillators in and around Dunfermline, only one at Asda’s Halbeath store was available 24 hours a day to the public. 

The Rotary Club of Dunfermline, the Mary Leishman Foundation and Fife Council’s Common Good fund each pledged £1,400 to buy the PADs which are now in place.

Councillor Helen Law, the chair of the City of Dunfermline area committee, championed the Take Heart campaign and said: “I’m really proud that the Press has pushed and campaigned for the defibrillators. 

“We’ve funded a number of initiatives across the town that contribute to safety, such as Pubwatch, taxi marshals and Purple Flag schemes, and here was an opportunity to do something more.

“I’m delighted they are now available across the town centre. It’s now much easier to help someone who suffers a cardiac arrest with a defibrillator within a few minutes reach and accessible around the clock. That’s down to the Press campaign.”

Mr Arnott, who is also Dunfermline Athletic’s safety officer, said the Press campaign was “a great idea” and helped source funding and ordered the defibrillators. 

He said: “Before now, the only other ones available around the clock were in dental surgeries but if something happened when that was shut, you would be scuppered.

“We have involved the fire service as well and are going to have a pop-up shop somewhere where the public can come and learn how to use them and learn first aid.”

Someone who has had a cardiac arrest – when the heart stops beating – will be unconscious and will not be breathing properly. Classed as clinically dead, without help the casualty generally has minutes to live.

A defibrillator can deliver an electric shock to try to restore a normal heart rhythm and bring them back from the dead. 

CPR can keep a patient alive until a shock is delivered and the campaign called for more awareness and training. 

Cllr Law added: “I took a motion to Fife Council to ensure that CPR training was available at every secondary school in Fife. 

“I’ve now been assured that is the case and, initially, it’s on offer to every S4 pupil and they’ll be encouraged to take part. This is just a starting point and will mean that no young person should leave without having access to this life-saving skill.

"Hopefully it will be extended as the training, both for CPR and defibrillators, is not complicated and the fire brigade are more than happy to help too.”

Press editor Simon Harris added: “The Press has always been known as a campaigning paper and this has been one of our best.

"Back in August 2015, we didn’t think it was right that if you or a loved one suffered a cardiac arrest in Dunfermline town centre, chances were you wouldn’t be able to access a life-saving defibrillator.

“Our Take Heart campaign was to ask that Public Access Defibrillators are bought and placed in the town for anyone to access at any time.

“We applaud the Mary Leishman Foundation, the Rotary Club of Dunfermline and Fife Council’s Common Good Fund for finding the cash to help make it happen. 

“If it helps save just one life, it’s got to be worthwhile.”