Jersey and Guernsey fishing vessels are set to receive potentially life-saving equipment as part of a national initiative by the Seafarers Hospital Society. The charity has announced plans to distribute free defibrillators and first aid kits to local fishers as part of a wider UK programme.
Working in partnership with the Community Heartbeat Charity, the initiative will provide 200 portable defibrillators to fishing vessels across the country. Additionally, 250 first aid kits will be made available to vessels with crews of two or more.
The programme comes in response to increasing evidence of heart disease prevalence in coastal communities. Sandra Welch, chief executive of the Seafarers Hospital Society and project leader, will oversee training sessions on the Channel Islands in late January to ensure proper use of the equipment.
“We believe the programme will make a significant difference to the lives of commercial fishermen who earn their living from the waters around the UK and that many lives will be saved,” Welch explained.
The initiative represents a significant investment in the safety and wellbeing of the islands’ fishing communities, providing essential emergency medical equipment to those working in one of the region’s most challenging environments.