Defibrillators

 

An Article by Worsley Training – First Aid Training in and around Wiltshire

 

Defibrillator Training

 

Heart restarter / Defib / AED / Electric shock thingy – call it what you like but please be prepared to use it! Time is critical and they are so simple to use that you just need the confidence to get on with it.

According to the BHF there are over 100,000 defibrillators in the UK and many of them are public access, which means anyone can use them to save a life.  You can also buy a private one for around £1000.

Look at www.defibfinder.uk to find the closest one to anywhere you spend lots of time – home, work, gym, pub, parents house, kids house, holiday cottage etc. and then please go and physically find them. Any minute that you can save knowing exactly where to go, may increase their chance of working by 10%. 

Most of them are locked to deter vandalism and theft, so do take a phone and call 999 with the series of numbers / letters on the box, to be told the access code. 

Switch them on, take the pads out of their wrappers and stick them onto the dry bare chest as shown (scissors, towel and razor included if needed). They speak slowly and clearly to you and some also have screens showing you what to do. You cannot deliver a shock by mistake and they will not give a shock to someone who does not need one, so you cannot make things worse. They are literally lifesavers!

Their first job is a heart monitor, so attach the pads and stand clear while it analyses the heart rhythm. If the heart is fibrillating, then the unit will charge and if automatic will deliver a shock without you having to do anything. If it is semi-automatic, then there will be a flashing shock button that you will need to press. However, if it detects a normal heart beat then it will just ask you to monitor the casualty and maybe place into the recovery position. 

Each public access defibrillator has a volunteer guardian who checks it weekly for full functionality. If you use one, then you are responsible for contacting that individual as the unit will need new pads, battery and accessories before it can be deemed ‘Rescue ready’ and placed back in the box. The phone number of our local guardian is written inside the box. 

For more information, visit www.bhf.org.uk/defibs and get in touch to have a go on one of my 5 trainer versions, as familiarisation breeds confidence!

 

Book onto one of our courses today and start feeling confident about first aid – Book a course