BUSINESSES in Notts are being urged to buy potentially life-saving medical equipment.

St John Ambulance has cut the price of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and training as part of National Heart Month, which runs throughout February.

AEDs can save lives in the minutes after cardiac arrest when the heart stops beating.

The machine shocks the heart back into action, and can be operated by people with no first aid training, as it talks them through what to do.

Thirteen per cent of all workplace casualties are cardiac arrest victims and the survival rate increases by more than half if an AED is used within the first four minutes.

St John Ambulance wants to see more AEDs available at businesses and locations like GP surgeries, leisure facilities and shopping centres where they could save someone's life.

Colin Bassford, commercial trainer for St John Ambulance Notts, said: "Figures show that around 13 per cent of all employees in industry will suffer a heart attack.

"That's a phenomenal amount of people, when you compare it to how many accidents there are at work."

Mr Bassford said that having a defibrillator and training for employees could reduce businesses' insurance risk.

"These machines are friendly. They talk you through what to do, but people have this fear," he said.

"We want to let people know that it is so easy to do, and it can increase people's survival rates by between 50 and 80 per cent, but you have to get there early."

In July last year, a defibrillator helped to save the life of a worker at Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station who had suffered a massive heart attack.

First aiders managed to resuscitate him using CPR and the on-site defibrillator, saving the man's life.

Bus operator Trent Barton currently has defibrillators at three bus depots, including Manvers Street in Nottingham, with plans for another defibrillator at Sutton Junction bus station in Sutton-in-Ashfield.

A spokesman for the company said: 'Defibrillators are a very important part of the tools available to our first aiders and really user friendly.

"All of our first aid teams are committed to providing first aid assistance and the defibrillator is a vital piece of life saving kit available to them."

St John Ambulance is now offering a package of an AED and comprehensive training for up to eight people for £1,695 until December 31.

Normally, the package costs £1,931.

Anyone interested in purchasing an AED, or requesting more information about first aid training, should contact St John Ambulance on 0844 324 5535.