Orihuela Council has installed a new publicly accessible defibrillator on the Playa Flamenca esplanade as part of an expansion of its municipal emergency equipment network.
The Playa Flamenca device is particularly important for Orihuela Costa, where the population rises sharply during the summer and public spaces can become extremely busy. Rapid access to a defibrillator can be crucial during a cardiac arrest, when every minute without treatment reduces a person’s chance of survival.
The coastal unit is one of seven new semi-automatic external defibrillators being introduced across the municipality. Four are already operational at Playa Flamenca, La Aparecida, Entrenaranjos and Desamparados. Another three will shortly be installed in Hurchillo, Arneva and Raiguero de Bonanza.
Orihuela currently has 50 operational defibrillators in municipal buildings, outdoor locations and Local Police and Civil Protection vehicles. The total will rise to 53 when the latest installations are completed.
Emergency and Civil Protection councillor Víctor Valverde said the expanding network could prove decisive in saving lives, particularly because the first few minutes following a cardiac arrest are critical.
The equipment is designed so that anyone can use it, even without previous training. Once activated and attached to the patient, the defibrillator analyses the heart rhythm, provides step-by-step spoken instructions and determines whether an electric shock is required.
The devices also establish direct communication with the 112 emergency service, allowing the person assisting the patient to receive professional guidance while an ambulance and other medical resources are dispatched.
More than 450 council employees and residents have already received training in the use of the equipment. The council says further public information and training sessions will be organised as the network continues to expand.
