ONE of the first ever public defibrillators to be made available in the Borders was replaced last week - after 16 years of service and saving several lives.
Selkirk-based Scottish HART were behind the first machine being installed within a former newsagent's shop in 2002 after fundraising by the town's Rotary Club.
The charity has continued to fundraise and install similar defibrillators in shops and community venues across the region and beyond ever since.
Last week Selkirk's original defib was upgraded with the latest state-of-the-art latest fully automatic AED.
The replacement machine is part of the Public Access Defibrillation scheme, which has helped increase the survival rate from out of hospital cardiac arrests to among the best in the world.
Kenneth and Wilma Gunn from Scottish HART, who formed the charity following the sudden death of their son Cameron, handed over the Cardiac Science G5, to the County Hotel on Wednesday
On hand were members of the Rotary Club of Selkirk, who not only funded the original machine and also paid for the upgrade.
The new defibrillator is now installed within the County and ready to use.
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