A defibrillator at a Belfast council playing field could not be used when a member of the public fell ill because the device had not been registered with the Ambulance Service, it has emerged.
First aiders must call the emergency 999 number to be given the code to access locked defibrillator cabinets provided at parks and playing fields across Northern Ireland.
The device, invented in the mid-1960s by Frank Pantridge in Belfast, diagnoses the life-threatening cardiac problems and treats them with a pulse of electricity.
However, during an emergency at Strangford Avenue Playing Fields in south Belfast on Saturday October 26, the operator was unable to provide the necessary code because the automated external defibrillator (AED) had not been registered.
An Ambulance Service (NIAS) spokesman said the control room had to direct those involved to another unit which was further away.
"NIAS welcomes the introduction and availability of Public Access Defibrillators across the region," he said.
"However, those defibrillators which are encased in a locked cabinet are only accessible if their access code is registered with NIAS, through our website.
"NIAS control were unable to provide a code to the AED cabinet at the incident in Strangford Playing Fields as it was not registered with NIAS.
"However a bystander was directed to an AED located at the House of Sport, which was the closest location of where a registered AED was located.
"Defibrillation is only one link in the chain of survival, the priority is providing CPR until a defibrillator is available."
The defibrillator had only been restored to the venue in recent weeks, having been damaged a year ago.
A council spokeswoman said: "We are aware that there was an issue with a defibrillator at this location and are currently looking into the matter."
Earlier this week it was still not in use at the pitches, with a sign telling members of the public that it was 'not available at present'.
