GREATER Manchester's ambulance crews have been provided with £500,000 worth of new life saving gear.
The state-of-the-art equipment, bought by GM Ambulance Service NHS Trust, includes new spinal boards and 95 defibrillators, which will be used by the entire paramedic emergency fleet.
David Kitchin, assistant general manager of the paramedic emergency service explained: "We depend on defibrillators to help resuscitate patients who have gone into cardiac arrest and also monitor patients with cardiac conditions. This is an essential life saving tool."
Between 1996 and 1997, GMAS handled 38,909 cardiac conditions, which emphasizes the importance of the investment.
The new defibrillators have enhanced diagnostic features which give the paramedics more information about the patient's condition.
They are more robust than previous models and charge in less than five seconds. Both light and portable, they can be used on adults and children.
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