Drug counselling charity Focus has been given a defibrillator by movie mogul Bruce Gordon, who has also helped get the life-saving machines in institutions across the Island.

They are used to treat people who have gone into cardiac arrest.

Mr. Gordon got the idea after his close friend and fellow Australian Kerry Packer, the media chief, had a lucky escape after suffering a heart attack and getting in the one ambulance in his district with the equipment aboard.

Mr. Packer went on to equip all ambulances in New South Wales, Australia while Mr. Gordon has followed suit and put several of the machines in Bermuda?s hospital as well as equipping the airport and fire service.

Heart attacks are one of the biggest killers in Bermuda, resulting in more than 100 deaths each year. Survival rates drop by ten percent each minute after a person goes into cardiac arrest, so the earlier a person gets treatment the better.

The computerised machines, which fit in a suit case, talk and show novices how to use them.

Mr. Gordon explained: ?A 12-year old boy saved his father two years ago by plugging one of these up and listening what to do. If the patient doesn?t have to be shocked it will say ?don?t shock the patient?.?