Buckie schools hail life-saving Epipen kits donation by energy firm Vestas
Life-saving anti-allergy injection Epipen kits have been installed at two local schools following a generous donation.
Both Buckie Community High School and Millbank Primary now have anaphylaxis kits available should pupils, staff or members of the public need them.
These kits are designed for treating life-threatening allergic reactions and typically contain adrenaline auto-injectors and other essential supplies. These kits are crucial for individuals at risk of anaphylaxis or for organisations like schools and workplaces that need to be prepared for emergencies.
Kits typically cost in the region of £650 and come with an online training package and other useful information.
Helping make the kits a reality for the schools is local man Craig Bain, who works for energy firm Vestas Wind Systems. The inspiration for helping get the kits in place is very close to home.
He explained: “My oldest son, who’s now six and is a pupil at Millbank, suffered anaphylaxis at the age of five and a half months.
“He was blue lighted to Aberdeen and we were told if ambulance had arrived five minutes later, it would have been a different conversation. People who have known allergies carry Epipens but 40 per cent of anaphylaxis in the UK is suffered by people that have no known allergies.
“However, around 60 per cent, I think, of those with known allergies don’t carry their pens.”
Pushing his firm to not only buy the two kits but agree to a five-year maintenance and replacement contract for them was given further impetus by start-up firm Kitt Medial, founded by Zak Marks and James Cohen, who appeared on TV’s Dragon’s Den on February 27 looking for investment for their emergency response kit. Kitt Medical’s services include a wall-mounted kit that contains a maximum of four adrenaline pens, the service including online training, which has been completed more than 15,000 times.
Mr Bain continued: “Zak’s philosophy is he wants every public access defibrillator to have an anaphylaxis kit as a next door neighbour.
“In essence, a defibrillator's doing nothing for somebody to suffer anaphylaxis. If their throat closes up, it doesn't matter if their heart's beating, they go into respiratory arrest. I decided to see if I could get Vestas to help with the two kits and they’re on an initial five year contract and then from there we can just look at keeping it going.
“You've got four pens in each kit, two for under-six-year-olds, or less than 30 kilos, and there's two for over-six-year-olds.”
Welcoming the donation of a kit to BCHS - which is situated on the wall at reception, was the school’s Business Support Officer Yvonne Taylor.
She commented: “It was totally out of the blue, Craig just phoned up and said that his company were sponsoring the kits and would we be willing to have one here, so it's a no-brainer for us.
“We've got a lot of children that do carry pens and once they get to high school they're expected to carry it themselves. In primary, it's different because the campuses are much smaller, so it's easy to grab one from the office ) if you need it. Here, though, they could be up on the field, they could be wherever, so they've got to carry their own. That said, I'm sure they all don't.
“This is a central point so if there was an urgent need you would only be minutes from being able to get it administered.”
Millbank Primary depute head teacher Karyn Linkater added: “We are delighted that we are able to support the community with this resource and are very greatful to Craig and Vestas for organising the funding.”
