POLICE attending serious incidents in Wirral will now be able to carry a life-saving piece of equipment in their vehicles.

North West Ambulance Service handed over 14 Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) to Birkenhead Poilice station this morning.

Officers have also been trained how to use them.

The AEDS will be placed on patrol cars and the aim is to give first responders such as the police the tools they need to help try and save someone’s life until paramedics arrive.

According to NWAS the equipment can increase the chances of survival for a person who has suffered a sudden cardiac arrest by 40 per cent.

The equipment is small and portable and can be used to check a person's heart rhythm.

If the rhythm indicates a cardiac arrest, the defibrillator sends an electric shock to the heart to restore a normal rhythm.

A sudden cardiac arrest is fatal in 95 per cent of cases but rapid use of a defibrillator can be life-saving.

Wirral's area commander, chief superintendent John Martin, said: "Time is absolutely crucial in treating someone suffering cardiac arrest and it can come down to a matter of seconds whether someone lives or dies.

"Police officers often arrive at the scene of serious incident first and having a defibrillator in their police car will really help them give basic but potentially life-saving treatment before the medical experts arrive.

"All my officers have received thorough tuition from the ambulance service and this has bolstered the First Aid skills they already have from their police training.

"As a department we are extremely grateful to them for giving us this really important equipment and it is a good example of the way the emergency services pull together in trying to save lives on a daily basis."

Nick Blair, NWAS community resuscitation development officer for Cheshire and Merseyside said: "We are delighted to be working with Merseyside Police on this initiative which will ultimately equip police officers to potentially save lives.

"In the event of a person suffering a cardiac arrest, quick actions must be taken in order to ensure the patient has the best possible chance of survival.

"It has been proven that when a person suffers a cardiac arrest, the chances of survival decrease by up to 14 per cent for every minute that passes without intervention.

"Ultimately, effective CPR and defibrillation ensures the patient has the best chance of survival."