A lifesaving device is to be installed for the public to use in the heart of Lincoln's bustling waterfront area.

In support of its campaign to raise £84,000 to buy 42 defibrillators to save the lives of Lincolnshire patients suffering a cardiac arrest, the Echo has purchased one of the state-of-the-art machines.

It will be attached to the wall outside the main reception of the Echo's new offices on the ground floor of Witham Wharf in Brayford Wharf East.

The machine – which sends an electric shock to the heart to restore a normal heart beat of a patient in cardiac arrest – is accessible by entering a four digit code into a keypad on a box containing the device.

When a member of the public dials 999 to alert the ambulance service that somebody has lost consciousness and has stopped breathing, if there is a defibrillator accessible in the area the controller will give the caller the code.

When opened up, the defibrillator talks the volunteer lifesaver through the process of attaching two sticky pads to either side of the heart and will assess whether the patient can be defibrillated.

If appropriate, the machine will instruct the volunteer to press a button to administer a shock.

If this is done within six minutes of a patient going into a cardiac arrest, they are 20 per cent more likely to live than if undertaken in the paramedics' target emergency response time of eight minutes.

Although the machines are deemed to be 'idiot proof', three members of the Echo's staff undertook a two-hour session on providing emergency cardiopulmonary resuscitation and gaining confidence in using the defibrillator.

Emily Riseborough, PA to the Echo's managing director and editor, was one of the people to undergo the two-hour training session.

"The defibrillator is much easier to us than I thought it would be," she said.

"I consider that I could save a life now."

Dawn Hinsley, features writer at the Echo and another volunteer lifesaver, said: "Although the defibrillator was much easier to use than I anticipated, without the training I would not have understood why it is so essential.

"At least if someone's in a life threatening situation now I can give them a better chance of survival until a paramedic arrives on the scene."

LIVES trainer Steve Hyde said members of the public should not be afraid of helping someone suffering a cardiac arrest for fear of being sued if the person dies.

"The 'Good Samaritan' status in the law provides assurance that no one would be prosecuted who helps someone in cardiac arrest," he said.