Members of Enniskillen Running Club have installed a lifesaving defibrillator at St. Michael’s Track in the town.

The defibrillator has been recently installed at the track at Cherrymount Link Road, which is used by the club as well as a wide range of community and sporting groups.

Funds to purchase the defibrillator were provided by a member of the club who wished to remain anonymous.

There are around 1,400 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in Northern Ireland each year and less than one people in ten survive.

Every minute without cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or defibrillation reduces the chance of survival by up to 10 per cent. Performing CPR can more than double the chances of survival.

The Chair of Enniskillen Running Club, Ian Birney, said the new defibrillator will be available for the many users of the site.

He said: “Around 1,000 people a week use this facility and we wanted to have a defibrillator in place in case of an emergency.

“You never know what will happen, and it’s important to be ready in case there is an incident. Our members will undergo CPR training provided by Fermanagh and Omagh District Council and the defibrillator will be available at the track if it is needed.”

The Head of British Heart Foundation Northern Ireland, Fearghal McKinney, visited St. Michael’s Track for the unveiling of the defibrillator.

He said: “There is no doubt that defibrillators save lives, and this is an excellent initiative by Enniskillen Running Club to install one at their excellent facility.

“This defibrillator will now be on hand at St. Michael’s Track, which is used by many groups, in the case of an emergency.

“Everyone can be a lifesaver using CPR and a defibrillator and we would encourage everyone to learn CPR, which they can do in just 15 minutes using the BHF-developed training tool, RevivR, which is available on our website.

"All that is required is a smartphone and a cushion, and it equips people with the skills to be a lifesaver.”