Following our investment of an AED (Automated External Defibrillator) for our premises, a small sign was fitted to the exterior of the building to advise we have a defibrillator on the premises. Our immediate neighbours were informed of the defibrillator, as well as a news article on our web site and have used both Facebook and Twitter to highlight the fact that we have it.
The AED has now been registered with the Scottish Ambulance Service. The details will shortly be passed to their Ambulance Control Centre for input on their Control System. When this is updated and the Ambulance Control Centres receive a 999 call for a cardiac arrest, their Call Takers will be able to signpost the caller to their nearest defibrillator which very well could be in our area.
Obviously the defibrillator is for saving lives. We also have a duty to promote and inform how essential these pieces of equipment actually may be to all of our lives, to that of our kids, parents, friends etc. Consequently, if you are speaking to anyone or if you have your own Facebook or Twitter account, please mention if you have one in your office and simply ask if everyone else does or in their high school, community hall, nightclub, library, hotel etc.
You do not need to be a first aider to use one of these. The machine speaks to you as soon as you open it and once you place the pads on the person it looks for a pulse. If it finds one, it won’t shock them. However, the training is essential in giving everyone the confidence to use it and to gain an understanding of how best to use it. By using a defibrillator, to re-start a person’s heart along with CPR, may just be enough until the ambulance arrives and the paramedics take over.
One of the stats that we have been made aware of is that in Scotland an average of 1 in 50 people who suffer cardiac arrest are saved. In America, it is every 1-2. Defibrillators are mandatory in Denmark. Whilst they may not be able to save everyone, they can massively improve the chances of survival.
Lucky2bhere is a charity run by Ross Cowie. George Nicolson made a donation to Lucky2bhere when obtaining the defibrillator. Please click on this link [www.lucky2bhere.org] to so see what they are doing and what they are looking to achieve.
