“Sudden cardiac arrest is a leading cause of premature death. […] Immediate action by members of the public can save many lives.”
After discussion with First Aid providers, some member walls, and the British Heart Foundation, the ABC now recommends that walls who feel able to do so should consider having an AED on site for the safety of the centre’s own users, and for the surrounding community.
Member walls that already have AED’s have found suppliers such as Defib Warehouse and Defibstore to be helpful when selecting the most suitable device for their centre and situation. It’s also possible to get in touch with the British Heart Foundation directly for their advice.
In terms of your own commitment as an AED owner, British Heart Foundation have advised the following: “If you register your defibrillator with the Circuit (National Defibrillator Network), your local ambulance service will have its location and availability (so, if kept inside your building, your opening hours.). If a responder is sent to you as the nearest location, it is likely that they will take the defibrillator themselves. However, in some circumstances, it may be that a member of your staff is called upon to take and use a defibrillator on a patient. Whilst we always encourage the registration of defibrillators on the Circuit, the more there are publicly available, the more lives they can save, it is purely down to individual preference and the defibrillator can be kept on the premises for personal use, and hopefully never needed.”
For more information on AED’s, check out the guide below by the Resuscitation Council UK in collaboration with British Heart Foundation.
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