Defibrillator donation to police is difference between life and death

Durham Constabulary has seen 140 police response vehicles fitted with defibrillators thanks a donation worth £185,000 from the Sunderland Red Sky Foundation charity.

- by Neil Fatkin

Red Sky Foundation founder Sergio Petrucci MBE hands over 140 defibrillators to Durham Constabulary.

The foundation raises money to support babies, children and adults living with complex heart conditions.

It was created by Sunderland couple Sergio and Emma Petrucci MBE and was initially a one-off event thanking the team at Newcastle's Freeman Hospital who carried out lifesaving open heart surgery on their daughter, Luna.

Speaking at the handover of the defibrillators to the police, Sergio said: “I’m delighted to be with Durham Constabulary to hand over these defibrillators.

"We hope these defibrillators never have to be used, but when a 999 call is made, it’s often a police response vehicle which is on the scene first.

“Police officers will now have the equipment to perform early defibrillation. This can increase the chance of survival from as little as seven per cent all the way up to nearly 80%.”

In June, the Red Sky Foundation donated 154 defibrillators to Northumbria Police.

Sergio added: “In the first two weeks of defibrillators being in Northumbria Police vehicles they were used 15 times and lives have been saved.

“Having these defibrillators in police vehicles helps to put them at the heart of local communities, meaning anyone who has a medical emergency, we're confident that lives will be saved.