The first defibrillator in Kings Langley has been installed as part of a parish council’s project to ensure the devices are available across the area to the public.

The new defibrillator which can be found at Kings Langley station is now one of seven across Kings Langley and Abbots Langley to be installed by Abbots Langley Parish Council.

In September, a man in his 40s died at the station after suffering cardiac arrest.

Despite the best efforts of an ambulance crew, rapid response vehicle and Essex Air Ambulance who attended shortly after his collapse he could not be saved.

The council had been looking earlier this year into obtaining permission from London Midland to place a defibrillator at the station for free, but there was a delay while they waited for a response.

After the incident, the train operator confirmed it would be happy to and was in talks with the council to host it.

Abbots Langley Councillor Sara Bedford explained the importance of this defibrillator being at Kings Langley station.

She said: “It’s really important to have a defibrillator at the station as so many people pass through every day.

“Not only can it be used for those arriving and departing at the station, but also a train can be stopped at the platform is a passenger becomes ill on the train.

“The equipment is available not only for users of the station but also nearby office and college buildings.”

The idea behind using the defibrillators is if a cardiac arrest is suspected and a 999 call has been made, East of England Ambulance Service will know where the nearest device is and will firstly assess the time in which an ambulance can get there.

If there is a delay, or if they feel the defibrillator should be used, they will release a code to the caller which will allow them to access the device.

They will then be asked to stay on the line and be prompted by ambulance staff what to do.

Abbots Langley Parish Council was the first parish or town council in Hertfordshire to install public defibrillators available for emergency use 24 hours a day.

Their defibrillator project has been shortlisted for a National Association of Local Councils award, which Cllr Bedford said in part recognition for all the work by the council’s facilities manager David Abbott and clerk, Tim Perkins.

The council’s last defibrillator was put up last week in the Abbotswood Park Coop in Aerodrome Way.