Defibrillator installed at Leigh-on-sea Waste and Recycling Centre

May 29, 2024

With an annual footfall of over 260,000 visitors, the sites will be set up with the life saving kits should they ever be needed.

The defibrillators purchased from St John Ambulance are fully automatic – with visual and voice prompts to guide the rescuer through the entire resuscitation process, including CPR, which is a key link in the chain of survival. The equipment analyses heart rhythm and automatically delivers a shock if needed.

Two Household Waste and Recycling Centres are available to residents in the City:

From 1 February to 31 October, both centres are open from 9am to 5pm on weekdays and 8am to 5pm on weekends. From 1 November to 31 January, both HWRCs are open from 9am to 4pm on weekdays and 9am to 4pm on weekends.

Ilana Shaw, General Manager for Veolia Southend said:

“We have on average over 10,000 residents visiting each site every month, so while we hope the defibrillators never have to be used it’s reassuring to know that they are there and can be accessed by our fully-trained staff quickly in an emergency.”

Cllr Lydia Hyde, cabinet member for Climate, Environment and Waste, Southend City Council said:

“Ensuring the safety of our residents is a top priority, and as emergencies can occur anywhere, increasing access to key life-saving equipment across public spaces in the city is crucial. These new defibrillators across public sites at our Household Waste and Recycling Centres is a crucial step towards that goal.”