Fife (2 July 2007) -- ExxonMobil Chemical Limited's donation of £10,000 to the Scottish Ambulance Service has purchased five lifesaving, lightweight Laerdal FR2 portable defibrillators for use in the Cowdenbeath and West Fife areas.

The equipment will be used in the two ambulances based in the Cowdenbeath depot, the two Rapid Response Units and the See and Treat Vehicle used out-of-hours in the West Fife area.

ExxonMobil Chemical Limited has sponsored this equipment as a way of helping the local communities.

Dave McCartney, area service manager, Scottish Ambulance Service, said: "A paramedic has a varied role to play in the day-to-day situations that they encounter. This equipment can be used to respond to calls where there is a distance to carry equipment i.e. hillside/roadside, for initial response to cardiac arrest, and for single crew responses (rapid response units). Having this lifesaving equipment will assist them in offering the best initial response to cardiac arrests, etc."

Dave also advised: "Another key element of this donation is that, when these units are no longer required by the Scottish Ambulance Service, we can then train users in local supermarkets/post offices etc. in the area to use this equipment, and once trained ANYONE CAN USE IT. In other words, it’s a gift which will keep on giving!!"

Dan O'Connell, plant manager at ExxonMobil Chemical Limited's Fife Ethylene Plant, said: "ExxonMobil at the Fife Ethylene Plant has a long history of supporting the communities around our facilities. One of the values by which we operate our facilities is to be a good neighbour, and we hope that by supporting the local Scottish Ambulance Service we can make a significant difference within the local communities around our facilities."

Notes to editors:
The Laerdal FR2 Defibrillator or the Heartstart FR2 is:

• Small and light: the FR2 weighs in at only 2.1 kg, and measures only 218 x 218 x 66mm, so it is easy both to transport and store.
• Easy to use: instant response is critical. Both audible and visual prompts guide the user through the simple steps required.
• Smart: utilises clinically proven SMART™ Biphasic technology. Combined with SMART™ analysis system, the FR2 provides safe and effective therapy for the individual patient.

Features:

• Long life battery: minimum 300 shocks when new. Shelf life before installation and standby life after installation typically five years each.
• Rechargeable training battery: a cost efficient way to utilise the device for training.
• Backlit display: improves the quality of ECG and text prompts in conditions of direct sunlight and darkness
• Selftest and status indicator: monitors readiness and clearly displays whether or not the device is operational
• Easy and flexible configuration: allows extensive configuration possibilities, including treatment protocol in accordance with new ERC or AHA guidelines
• Manual override: (Model M3840A only) can be set on or off.