Life-saving defibrillators for 28 police cars thanks to Rugby mum's campaign

Naomi Rees-Issitt, who set up the Our Jay Foundation after the death of her 18-year-old son Jamie, said there was "still a long way to go”.

Officers were first on scene after Jamie collapsed in 2022, and despite administering CPR, they were sadly unable to save him.

Doctors later said that if the officers or the public had quicker access to a defibrillator Jamie might still be alive.

Since his death, Naomi has been campaigning and fundraising to have defibrillators installed across Rugby.

She said: “The hard work is only just starting, as we now start to build an evidence base of lives saved, valuable minutes saved and impact caused on the community and police officers, who are sent to these catastrophic scenes.”

The Home Office initially offered forces across the country 14 defibs each – but further negotiations saw that figure doubled.

In the coming months the life-saving devices will be placed in the force’s specialist vehicles (dog and firearms cars) across the county.

Assistant Chief Constable Claire Armes, who led the negotiations which saw more defibs than initially offered, said: “This far surpasses our original plans and means even more devices out there to save lives.

“Officers and PCSOs can be the first at the scene of emergencies and we often have to administer first aid until it’s safe for other agencies to come in.

“Many lives have been saved over the years because officers and staff have administered CPR and other emergency first aid.

“We see these defibs as another part of our first aid toolkit and we’re absolutely delighted to have them.

“So a huge thank you to the Home Office, and also to the OurJay Foundation, who we continue to work closely with in support of their mission to save as many lives as possible.”

Naomi said: “Everyone at OurJay Foundation is so proud to have reached such a huge goal for heart safety, ensuring that more police vehicles now carry defibrillators.

“This first progress is all the more special to us as it has happened in our home force of Warwickshire.

“We have worked with Warwickshire Police to have these defibrillators put in the most appropriate police vehicles.

“Not only do we foresee the defibrillators going on to save lives, but we will also be able to build an evidence base, relating to usage, lives saved and impact.

“This will help towards our campaign for ‘Jamie’s Law’, which will hopefully mean defibrillators will become mandatory in a higher percentage of police vehicles across the UK.

“We’d like to express our thanks to Assistant Chief Constable Claire Armes and Superintendent Darren Webster for their support and understanding for what we are trying to achieve in memory of our precious son and brother Jamie.

“When Jamie collapsed following a cardiac arrest, the police officer that reached Jamie first was not carrying a defibrillator in his vehicle. Sadly the officers had to rely on radioing for another officer to go to Rugby Police station to collect a defibrillator and bring it to the scene. We lost Jamie, due to oxygen starvation to his brain on January 5, 2022.

“We will continue to work with Warwickshire Police to save as many lives as possible.”

Policing Minister, Dame Diana Johnson said: “We know how crucial those first few moments can be when the police arrive on the scene and find someone’s life is in immediate danger. They are often the first responders and are essential in administering first aid until medical staff can reach them.

“These extra defibrillators will allow officers in Warwickshire to provide that essential emergency care and, most importantly, save lives.”

Watch the video here: https://www.facebook.com/warwickshirepolice/videos/645158825246424?locale=en_GB