Manx Telecom, one of the Island’s biggest private sector employers, now has four defibrillators thanks to support from Craig’s Heartstrong Foundation. The company has purchased three defibrillators, and one has been donated by the charity. The devices will be located at the company’s headquarters at Isle of Man Business Park, the Strand Street store in Douglas, telephone exchange in Dalton Street, Douglas, and at the company’s facilities in Kewaigue. St John Ambulance will be providing up to 20 Manx Telecom staff with training in how to use the equipment in an emergency.

Craig’s Heartstrong Foundation is a Manx charity set up by family and friends of Craig Lunt who died aged 25 in 2005 from a previously undiagnosed heart defect. Thanks to the hard work of volunteers and public support the charity set up a heart screening programme in 2007 for men and women between the ages of 14 and 35. This is helping to identify a range of heart conditions which are often very difficult to diagnose. In 2013 it launched a defibrillator campaign which has resulted in more than 150 of the life-saving devices being installed in key locations across the Island. There are now machines in every school, the vast majority of sports clubs, and at an increasing number of businesses.

In September, one of the charity’s defibrillators was used to save the life of PokerStars employee Chris Corlett. Paul Healey, Chairman of Craig’s Heartstrong Foundation, said that since this incident was reported in the media the charity has been contacted by several businesses wanting to purchase defibrillators.

John McChesney, Human Resources Director at Manx Telecom, said: “We have been looking at this issue as part of our regular health and safety reviews. The recent news about Chris Corlett shows just how important these devices can be, and we have therefore brought forward our plans to purchase defibrillators and install them at sites across the company. We are very grateful to Craig’s Heartstrong Foundation for donating a defibrillator in addition to the three we have purchased.”

To find out more about the charity, or to make a donation, go to www.craigsheartstrongfoundation.co.uk. 

Photo - Manx Telecom’s Human Resources Director John McChesney, right, receives one of the defibrillators from Paula Lunt (Craig’s mum), and Craig’s Heartstrong Foundation Chairman Paul Healey.