A FLEET of life-saving equipment has been installed across a number of holiday parks in North Wales as part of a leading tourism group’s drive to protect the public.

Lyons Holiday Parks has unveiled six new automated external defibrillators (AEDs) which can be used by holidaymakers, teams, and tourists alike throughout its Denbighshire and Conwy sites.

This includes the flagship park, Lyons Robin Hood in Rhyl, Lyons Lido Beach in Prestatyn, Lyons Woodlands Hall in Ruthin, as well as Lyons Oakfield and Lyons Winkups in Towyn.

Having these devices on-site – where owners can spend up to 46 weeks of the year - is a matter close to the heart of the community.

Last year, holiday homeowners at Lyons Eryl Hall in St Asaph and Lyons Mounds in Holywell raised funds to have an AED installed on-site.

Joseph Lyons Mound, company director of the fifth-generation family business, said: “This fundraising from our owners was absolutely fantastic, and shows the close-knit, community feel that’s available at our parks.

”Installing these AED defibrillators was absolutely vital for us because it’s the most efficient way of protecting the wellbeing of our guests, owners and team.

“We’ve ensured that these devices, which come with easy-to-follow instructions, were installed on accessible areas of the park such as outside reception or outside our gym facilities.

“This means that there is 24/7 access and doesn’t depend on the office being open.

“Tourism in the UK is only going to increase in 2022 and our parks are going to get busier and busier as more people decide it’s safer to holiday in the UK.”

The devices are registered to The Circuit, the national defibrillator network, and a ‘guardian’ has been nominated on each park to ensure their proper and safe use and facilitate access to the machines.

Mr Lyons Mound said that the first aider must call 999 to receive a code, and that the pads themselves will operate via voice instructions if a heartbeat is not detected on the casualty.

According to statistics published by The Circuit, one in 10 casualties who suffer an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survive, and defibrillators are currently being used in only one out of 20 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests.

Mr Lyons Mound added: “These machines don’t just protect the hundreds of guests and owners on our parks, but can be used by holidaymakers in the region if ever there’s an emergency.

“What we’ve learnt this year, more than ever, is that we have to look after those around us, and this is why we want people to know where these defibrillators are and that they can use them.

“Take Robin Hood, for example. We welcome thousands of people here each year, and our guests like to make the most of the beach which is only a five-minute walk from the park.

“We want everyone to know that in an emergency, there’s an AED machine readily available close by.

“We hope it never needs using but it’s there for everyone if so.”

For more information on where the defibrillators are located, head to www.lyonsholidayparks.co.uk.