West Lothian taxi drivers are helping to save lives.
Since last year, Eddie Millar and partner Martin Brown at West Lothian Central Radio Taxis have had defibrillators installed in the cabs they drive.
Eddie, who is also the brains behind the West Lothian Taxi Drivers Day Out for youngsters with special needs, said he and Martin wanted to do something to make a difference.
The pair paid for the life saving equipment out of their own pockets.
Eddie explained: “The inspiration is, we are trying to help people and do the right thing.
“We had the idea in the back of our heads to equip our taxis with defibrillators, and then when we saw they were doing it in London, we knew it would be a good thing to bring here.
“If we can save a life by being on the scene quicker than an ambulance, then great. It gives someone a chance of survival –and that’s got to be a
good thing.”
He continued: “We’ve equipped two of the eight taxis in our fleet so far and we’ll equip more as and when we can afford to. The best reward you can get is knowing you’ve saved someone’s life.”
The Scottish Ambulance Service said it welcomed the news Eddie and Martin had equipped their taxis with defibrillators.
A spokesperson said: “Public Access Defibrillators (PAD) are potentially life-saving devices which are located across the country.
“A patient’s chance of survival drops by around 10 per cent each minute without intervention.
“The most important interventions are early CPR and defibrillation which can have the potential to improve survival.
“We are delighted to support this project.”
