East Riding Bin Lorries Become Mobile Defibrillators

Residents across the East Riding may soon notice more than just bins being collected, as the local council launches a UK-first initiative to turn refuse trucks into mobile life-saving units.

In a pioneering project, Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) have been fitted to the entire fleet of bin collection lorries to provide immediate assistance during medical emergencies.

The £60,000 initiative is funded by a Government grant aimed at improving road safety and reducing casualties. Currently, 72 lorries have been equipped, a number set to rise to over 80 following the roll-out of weekly food waste collections. Councillor Paul West, the council’s cabinet member for environment and transport, highlighted the significance of the rollout:

"The defibrillators, they're going to be available in all the bin lorries that circulate the East Riding and then if anybody unfortunately might need them, they're going to be available.

We think this is the first time in the UK that the local authority has done this and we're hoping that everybody else will follow suit.

I think we're all very pleased at the local authority that we can offer this service to our residents and hopefully we can save lives."

The decision to use bin lorries stems from their constant presence in the heart of the community. Carl Skelton, East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s director of streetscene services, explained that the crews are ideally positioned to help due to their high visibility:

"So, we've received some funding which is road safety led and the crews have signed up to having a defib in all the cabs and that defibs for use by anybody in the vicinity at any time.

Bin crews are one of the council's more visible or most visible front line service. They're out there in the communities day in day out.

The staff have bought into it and there'll be some training to the staff, but the defibs are really easy to use. They'll literally speak to you and give you the instructions.

Of course, we're hoping we don't need to use any of these defibs, but if we do use one of the defibs in one of our 80 bin trucks, then that will will be a worthwhile project."

The project is expected to be particularly impactful in remote locations where static defibrillators may be scarce. Refuse collection lorry driver Andrew Fowler noted the reassurance this brings to those in isolated areas:

"I think it's a good thing especially as like in rural areas where a lot of rural areas we go to, there's still some places that don't have defibrillators. So, for the fact that we have them on offer for people like that that are out in the middle of nowhere, farmlands and stuff like that. I think it's great to have access to these machines, the more the better really.

We're out where everybody can see us and I think it's just an added extra to everything that we do.

Hopefully, we don't have to use them, but obviously if we do, we're there and we'll be able to offer support for anybody that needs it."

To ensure the equipment is used effectively, the council has partnered with Beverley-based Act Fast First Aid to provide bespoke training for all bin crews in CPR and AED operation. These portable devices are designed for public use and can increase patient survival rates by more than 70% while waiting for an ambulance.

Looking ahead, the authority is in discussions with the Yorkshire Ambulance Service to implement real-time tracking of the lorries. This would allow emergency dispatchers to locate the nearest truck quickly if a defibrillator is required by a first responder or local volunteer. The council states this initiative is a key part of its commitment to "Vision Zero," the principle that no road death or serious injury is acceptable.