JANUARY 2012

 

JANUARY 2012

 If you would like to make your business or community HeartSafe®, then please contact us on 01275 332323 or email us at enquiries@aedlocator.org.

JANUARY 2012

Bath Rugby Football Club is soon to become the first premiership Rugby Club to have a HeartSafe® defibrillator.

The Public Access Defibrillator will shortly be located within the universal green weatherproof secure cabinet outside the Club House within the Recreational Ground (known as The Rec) in the City of Bath.  More information will be published later this month.

 If you would like to make your Sports Club HeartSafe®, then please contact us on 01275 332323 or email us at enquiries@aedlocator.org.

JANUARY 2012

DECEMBER 2011

Three more communities have become HeartSafe® in time for Christmas.  The three locations are:

• The Business Park in Blackwell near Shipston-on-Stour, Warwickshire.  The Post Code is CV36 4PE.
• The Village Hall in Kirdford, West Sussex.  The Post Code is RH14 0QH.
• The Co-Op Stores in Radstock near Bath.  The Post Code is BA3 3RQ.

 The new Public Access Defibrillators are each located within the universal green weatherproof secure cabinet outside the premises detailed above.  Photos will be published on this website in the New Year.

 If you would like to make your village or community HeartSafe®, then please contact us on 01275 332323 or email us at enquiries@aedlocator.org.

DECEMBER 2011

 Alcester Grammar School has become the latest school in the Uk to become HeartSafe®.  The school is in the town of Alcester in south-west Warwickshire.  The Public Access Defibrillator within a weatherproof secure heated HeartSafe® cabinet has been installed on the wall at the main entrance to the school's Sports Centre.  The defibrillator is accessible 24/7 - even outside of school hours and during the school holidays.

If you would like to make your school or Sports Centre HeartSafe®, please call us on 01275 332323.

NOVEMBER 2011

The village of Newnham-on-Severn in Gloucestershire is the latest location to become HeartSafe®. 

The new Public Access Defibrillator (pictured below) is located within the universal green weatherproof secure cabinet outside the Sports & Social Club in the High Street of Newnham-on-Severn.  For Sat Nav users, the post code is BS14 1BS.

Pictured below is Kevin Dickens (left) from Great Western Ambulance Service with Mark Harper (MP for the Forest of Dean) and Mrs Barnes (local resident of Newnham) after the funds had been successfully raised to buy the HeartSafe® cabinet and defibrillator. 

 If you would like to make your village or community HeartSafe®, then please contact us on 01275 332323 or email us at enquiries@aedlocator.org.

SEPTEMBER 2011

The hamlet of Woodhill, near Congresbury (between Bristol and Weston-super-Mare) is the latest location in North Somerset to become HeartSafe®.  This is all due to a kind and generous donation by a local company called Wessex Plants.

The new Public Access Defibrillator (pictured below) is located within the universal green weatherproof secure cabinet outside the Wessex Plants Nursery.  For Sat Nav users, the post code is BS49 5AF.

 If you would like to make your village or community HeartSafe®, then please contact us on 01275 332323 or email us at enquiries@aedlocator.org.

 AUGUST 2011

Studies have shown that every week over 250 people die from Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) and one of the most likely places for a SCA to occur is on a golf course.  With this in mind, Golf Clubs across the UK are taking steps towards protecting their members and visitors.  Please watch this short video to see how you can join them.

If you know anyone who may benefit from the information shown in this video, please refer them to the NEWS page on this website.  Alternatively if you would like us to get in touch with you or your Golf Club, then please contact us on 01275 332323 or email us at enquiries@aedlocator.org.

AUGUST 2011

The village of Pucklechurch near Bristol has become the next location to become HeartSafe®. 

This Public Access Defibrillator is located within the universal green weatherproof secure cabinet outside the Pucklechurch Community Centre.  For Sat Nav users, the post code is BS16 9RH.  The residents of Pucklechurch are aiming to raise funds to purchase a further three public access defibrillators.

Pictured below is Angela Hallett, Pucklechurch's campaign founder, with fellow residents Maggie Heath (left) and Lynne English (right). 

 If you would like to make your village or community HeartSafe®, then please contact us on 01275 332323 or email us at enquiries@aedlocator.org.

AUGUST 2011

HeartSine, a company that specialises in the design and manufacture of AEDs, has been named as one of the most innovative businesses in the UK, and shortlisted for the coveted Orange Innovation Award at the National Business Awards.  This award recognises businesses that have gone beyond the ordinary in their development of products, services or company culture. HeartSine will now make a final presentation before an independent, expert judging panel and the winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in November 2011.

Uel McChesney, CEO HeartSine Technologies, said: “We are delighted to have been shortlisted in the Orange Innovation category.  The recent launch of the Samaritan® PAD 500P with its unique CPR advisor has been key in positioning us as a leader in cutting edge defibrillation technology and to have it highlighted is a tremendous vote of confidence in our commitment to developing new technology which ultimately saves lives.”

AED Locator (E.U.) Ltd are proud to be a distributor for the AEDs manufactured by HeartSine and would like to wish them the best of luck with the remainder of the selection process. 

Click here if you would like to learn more about HeartSine's AEDs. 

JUNE 2011

The North Somerset villages of Pensford and Woollard have become HeartSafe®.  These two rural villages are located about 7 miles south of Bristol and 8 miles west of Bath.  Thanks to the efforts of the local Parish Council plus donations received during the annual Pensford 10k Road Race, enough funds were raised to buy two HeartSafe® cabinets each containing a defibrillator - one for Pensford and one for Woollard. 

The Pensford HeartSafe® cabinet and defibrillator have been installed outside the Pensford Post Office on Pensford Hill.  The cabinet and defibrillator in Woollard have been installed within the old Telephone Box in Publow Lane (see photo below).

Pictured below is the cabinet and defibrillator being handed over outside the Woollard Telephone Box.  From left to right - Peter Edwards (Warden Councillor for Publow with Pensford Parish Council), Brian Watson (Vice Chairman of Parish Council), Janette Stephenson (Parish Councillor), Julie Bragg (Parish Clerk) and Clive Setter (of AED Locator (E.U.) Ltd).

Pictured below is Haggay Chepkwony, the winner of the 2010 Pensford 10k Road Race, with Clive Setter of AED Locator (E.U.) Ltd during one of the fundraising events held to raise money for the Pensford and Woollard defibrillators. 

JUNE 2011

Shipston-on-Stour Leisure Centre near Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire has become the next Sports and Leisure Centre in the UK to become HeartSafe®.  This means that anyone visiting the Leisure Centre will now have the peace of mind that a defibrillator is immediately available should somebody suffer a Sudden Cardiac Arrest.

This life-saving equipment was kindly donated by the volunteer group Shipston Hospital League of Friends.   The Heart Rhythm Charity Arrhythmia Alliance supported Gareth Wagg, the General Manager of  Shipston Leisure Centre, to oversee the installation of the cabinet and defibrillator.  This is the fourth public access defibrillator in Shipston-on-Stour - the others are at The George Hotel, Ellen Badger Hospital and Shipston Sports Club. 

Photo showing the defibrillator and cabinet located outside Shipston Leisure Centre 

If you would like to make your Leisure Centre or local Community Centre HeartSafe®, then please contact us on 01275 332323 or email us at enquiries@aedlocator.org.

JUNE 2011

Thatchers Cider Company Ltd has kindly donated a Public Access Defibrillator for use by the villagers of Sandford and Winscombe in North Somerset.

The provision of this life saving emergency equipment is a very exciting step towards protecting both the Thatchers' workforce and the local community from the dangers of sudden cardiac arrest.  Through this very kind donation from the family run cider company, the local community is the latest in North Somerset to become HeartSafe®.  Not only have Thatchers provided the equipment but also the opportunity to learn just how easy it is to use, by hosting a visit from St John Ambulance to promote awareness.    

Pictured below (from left to right) is Sue Lynch (project co-ordinator for Thatchers Cider), Archie Forbes (chair of Winscombe & Sandford Parish Council), Margaret Ballard (member of Winscombe & Sandford Parish Council), Martin Thatcher (Managing Director of Thatchers Cider) and Pam Harris (St John Ambulance).

If you would like to make your village or community HeartSafe®, then please contact us on 01275 332323 or email us at enquiries@aedlocator.org.

JUNE 2011

Jersey now has 115 defibrillators across the island and is one of the most HeartSafe® places to be in the British Isles.  This fantastic news was announced last month as a result of a kind donation from a local benefactor. 

The 100th defibrillator was donated to the Jersey Scout Association.  Pictured below is Island Commissioner Helen Woolsey receiving the donated defibrillator from Nigel Truscott, Deputy Commander of St John Ambulance in Jersey, outside The Scout Centre in St Ouen, Jersey.

Helen said "This is a wonderful donation that will be located at the Jersey Scout Centre on the Five Mile Road.  We are pleased to be able to support the community, giving coverage in this part of Jersey and increasing awareness of our members and visitors about the improtance of defibrillators in saving lives." 

Pictured below is our map of Jersey - the hearts show the location of each of the defibrillators - click here to see the map in more detail.

Since 2001, St John Ambulance in Jersey has worked with local businesses and communities to install life-saving equipment across the island.  As a result there are now 115 public access defibrillators on the island of Jersey in banks, shops, colleges and other public places such as hotels, Jersey Harbour, Elizabeth Castle – to name but a few.  The St John Ambulance team in Jersey has trained hundreds of local people in how and when to use a defibrillator and there have been several occasions when the devices have been used to save a life.

MAY 2011

The village of Armscote near Shipston has become the next site in Warwickshire to become HeartSafe®. 

This Public Access Defibrillator is located within the universal green weatherproof secure cabinet outside the Fox & Goose Public House in Armscote.  For Sat Nav users, the post code is CV37 8DD.

The cabinet and defibrillator were funded by Mr & Mrs R G Williams of Armscote.  With the support of the Heart Rhythm Charity Arrhythmia Alliance, a recent launch event at Blackwell Village Hall saw the participation of West Midlands Ambulance Service and local Community First Responders.

The local community from the surrounding villages of Armscote, Darlingscott, Newbold-on-Stour and Tredington were able to have a first-hand experience of this vital life saving equipment.

If you would like to make your village or community HeartSafe®, then please contact us on 01275 332323 or email us at enquiries@aedlocator.org.

JANUARY 2011

Mendip Spring Golf & Country Club, near Congresbury in North Somerset has become the next Golf Club in the UK to become HeartSafe®.  This means that the large number of members and guests who play golf at Mendip Spring and/or visit the clubhouse, its function rooms or restaurant, will now have the peace of mind that a defibrillator is immediately available should anyone suffer a Sudden Cardiac Arrest.

The idea to purchase this life-saving equipment was instigated by John Webb, last year's Club Captain and was funded jointly by the members and managment team at Mendip Spring.  Pictured below is Kevin Evans (current Club Captain) with John Webb receiving the defibrillator and HeartSafe® cabinet from Clive Setter (of AED Locator (E.U.) Ltd).

DECEMBER 2010

Photo showing the defibrillator and cabinet being handed over to Easton Community Centre.  Pictured above (from left to right) is Clive Setter (of AED Locator (E.U.) Ltd), Jazz Singh (of Easton Community Centre), Kim Morrissey (of GWAS), Liz Jones (of Easton Community Centre) and Kim Davey (of GWAS).

An early Christmas present for Easton Community Centre in Kilburn Street, Bristol!  Thanks to the generosity of Great Western Ambulance Service (GWAS) and AED Locator (E.U.) Ltd, a life-saving defibrillator together with a secure weatherproof HeartSafe® green cabinet has been donated to Easton Community Centre. 

The cabinet containing the defibrillator will be installed on the wall outside the Community Centre. 

This equipment will be available 24/7 and, as well as being accessible by the Centre's visitors and staff, is available for anyone to use as directed by GWAS following a 999 Emergency Call in the vicinity of Kilburn Street in Bristol.

If you would like any information or advice about making your Community Centre, Village Hall or Sports Club a HeartSafe® place, then please call us on 01275 332323.

DECEMBER 2010

Q. What do two Village Halls, a pub and a Sports Club near Henley-on-Thames (Oxfordshire) all have in common? 

A. They are all the locations of Public Access Defibrillators within the Hambleden Valley served by South Central Ambulance Service.

Pictured above (from left to right) are the locations of the four Public Access Defibrillators - The Chequers Inn(Fingest), Frieth Village Hall, Hambleden Sports and Social Club and Skirmett Village Hall. 

NOVEMBER 2010

The village of Blagdon in North Somerset has become the first community in the UK to have two Public Access Defibrillators in the village - the original one is located outside the Village Hall and a new second one is located at the other end of the village in a redundant Telephone Box. 

In early 2009 Blagdon Parish Council decided to buy the old Telephone Box located opposite the village's Primary School, to house the village's second Public Access Defibrillator.  The Parish Council organised and ran a number of events to raise funds for the purchase of this second defibrillator with its secure green HeartSafe® cabinet. 

This new Public Access Defibrillator is now operational and is available for all villagers or passers-by to use in the event of an incident where, following a 999 call, the Emergency Services advise that the defibrillator may help to save the life of the patient whilst the ambulance is despatched to the scene. 

This is the second Public Access Defibrillator to be located in Blagdon.  The first one is located outside the Village Hall at the other end of this large village and was donated in 2008 by local company Setter & Lee Estate Agents who are based in the nearby village of Chew Magna. 

Blagdon has 2 of the 29 Public Access Defibrillators that AED Locator (E.U.) Ltd has supplied and promoted in the North Somerset area of the UK.  In addition to these, there are several other projects on-going to install more Public Access Defibrillators in other rural communities, sports clubs etc within North Somerset.

NOVEMBER 2010

Bristol & Clifton Golf Club in Failand on the outskirts of Bristol has become the next Golf Club in the UK to become HeartSafe®. 

The defibrillator and secure green HeartSafe® cabinet were funded by the members and staff of Bristol & Clifton Golf Club who recognised the benefits that this simple life-saving equipment would bring to those who use the golf course and the clubhouse.  Most of the funds were raised by Sir Peter Simpson (a member of the Golf Club) during his recent sponsored "coast to coast" walk from St Bees Head in Cumbria to Robin Hoods Bay near Whitby in North Yorkshire - a total of 190 miles in 15 days!

Pictured below is Sir Peter Simpson (centre) with James Macpherson (Managing Secretary of the Golf Club - left of photo) receiving the defibrillator and cabinet from Clive Setter (of AED Locator (E.U.) Ltd - right of photo). 

OCTOBER 2010

Ifold near Billingshurst has become the next village in West Sussex to become HeartSafe®.  The secure green HeartSafe® cabinet containing a life-saving defibrillator was funded by Billngshurst Emergency Assistance Team (BEAT) with help from Plaistow & Ifold Parish Council.   BEAT was launched in February 2006 as a Community First Responder Scheme within the region covered by the South East Coast Ambulance NHS Trust, and now has 14 active responders spread across this rural part of West Sussex.

The Oak Tree Stores (Plaistow Road) in Ifold is the location of BEAT's fourth Public Access Defibrillator BUT it is the first site where the equipment is available for anyone to access 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.  The South East Coast Ambulance NHS Trust is working with BEAT to run awareness and demonstration sessions with local residents on the use of this life-saving equipment.

Pictured below from left to right is Sharon Overington (owner of Oak Tree Stores), Paul Berry and Jane Price (both from BEAT) with Stuart East (from Plaistow & Ifold Parish Council) during the launch of the cabinet and defibrillator.

If you are a Community First Responder and/or live in a rural location, please contact us at AED Locator (E.U.) Ltd on 01275 332323 about how to make your community HeartSafe®. 

OCTOBER 2010

L'Escala became the first town in Spain to have a Public Access Defibrillator located in a HeartSafe® cabinet.  This means that anyone living or visiting L'Escala will have the peace of mind that a defibrillator is immediately available should anyone suffer a Sudden Cardiac Arrest.  The HeartSafe® cabinet and defibrillator have been donated to the Spanish town by AED Locator (E.U.) Ltd. 

Photo showing the cabinet and defibrillator being handed over to Nuria Marti Rivas (from the Town Council) and Pau Fajol and Guillermo Segura (Red Cross Life Guards at the L'Escala beaches) by Clive Setter (of AED Locator (E.U.) Ltd) 

L'Escala is in the Catalonia region of Spain, not far from the border with France and situated on the Costa Brava coast at the southern end of the Gulf of Roses.  As well as being an important fishing port, it is a popular tourist resort with about 60,000 people a week using the local unspoilt beaches during the Summer months. 

"My family and friends have enjoyed many holidays in L'Escala over the last seven years" says Clive Setter of AED Locator (E.U.) Ltd.  "I decided to donate a HeartSafe® cabinet and defibrillator to the town so that the local people and many visitors from across Europe can benefit from having immediate access to this life-saving equipment."

The HeartSafe® cabinet and defibrillator are located at L'Escala's Sailing Club, Club Nautic at Port La Clota - see photos below.  

OCTOBER 2010

The village of Whitchurch has become the site of the 22nd HeartSafe® location in the North Somerset region of England. 

Whitchurch is about 4 miles to the south-east of the City of Bristol and spans either side of the A37, otherwise known as the Wells Road.  The Public Access Defibrillator is located within the universal green weatherproof secure cabinet outside the Maes Knoll Toby Carvery Public House, on the junction of the A37 with Staunton Lane.  For Sat Nav users, the post code is BS14 0PF.

The cabinet and defibrillator have been funded as a result of events and donations co-ordinated by the Whitchurch Parish Council. 

Photo showing residents of Whitchurch, members of Whitchurch Parish Council, Kim Morrissey (Community Response Manager for Great Western Ambulance Service) and Clive Setter (of  AED Locator (E.U.) Ltd) at the launch of the Public Access Defibrillator outside the Maes Knoll Toby Carvery in Whitchurch near Bristol

OCTOBER 2010

A very special blessing recently took place when Reverend Edward Doyle blessed the village defibrillator that has just been installed in Rogate near Petersfield, West Sussex.  

A small group gathered from amongst those who helped so much to make this life-saving idea come to fruition, to witness this very special act.  Reverend Edward even found a prayer that had been specially written for such a piece of medical equipment.  On behalf of the Rogate community, Ann Arnold (the village shopkeeper) thanked Ian and Penny Croucher for their hard work in campaigning for the equipment using the local Parish magazine and website as well as the local Press.  The equipment was funded mainly from generous donations received from parishioners. The defibrillator in its green HeartSafe cabinet® is located outside the Rogate Village Hall.  

If you would like to make your village or community HeartSafe®, then please contact us on 01275 332323 or email us at enquiries@aedlocator.org.

OCTOBER 2010

 Photo showing Jonathan Dimbleby receiving the HeartSine defibrillator from

Clive Setter (of AED Locator (E.U.) Ltd)

 Photo showing Trudie Lobban (founder and trustee of the Arrhythmia Alliance)

with Jonathan Dimbleby at the Heart Rhythm Congress 2010

At the annual Heart Rhythm Congress held in Birmingham (UK) earlier this month AED Locator (E.U.) Ltd, in association with Arrhythmia Alliance (the Heart Rhythm Charity), donated a HeartSine defibrillator to Jonathan Dimbleby.  Jonathan is one of Britain's best known broadcasters and will be taking the defibrillator with him whilst filming a documentary series in South America.  

The HeartSine Samaritan defibrillator is lightweight, portable and durable, and carries an IP56 rating which is the industry's highest rating against dust and water.  It can be taken and used virtually anywhere, even in the most inclement conditions.  Jonathan has agreed to keep in touch with us regarding the exploits of the defibrillator whilst on his travels to South America and we will publish it on this news page. 

If you would like more information about HeartSine defibrillators, then please contact us. 

AUGUST 2010

Another UK Golf Club has become HeartSafe®!  This time it's Enmore Park Golf Club, near Bridgewater in Devon, that has had a Public Access Defibrillator installed within a weatherproof secure heated HeartSafe® cabinet outside the Clubhouse.  The cabinet has been sponsored by two of the Golf Club members and South Western Ambulance Service has donated the defibrillator within the cabinet. Although the defibrillator can be operated in an emergency by any untrained adult, the South Western Ambulance Service provided awareness sessions to the staff and some of the members of the Golf Club.

Photos showing the Public Access Defibrillator, cabinet and overhead signs at Enmore Park Golf Club

AUGUST 2010

A Public Access Defibrillator has been installed at Chipping Sodbury Golf Club in Gloucestershire.  The weatherproof secure HeartSafe® cabinet and defibrillator was purchased as a result of fundraising by the Golf Club's Seniors' Section with donations from Chipping Sodbury Town Lands Charity and Chipping Sodbury Rotary Club.  Although it is hoped that the equipment will never be needed, it is there and ready to be used in the event of an emergency by golfers, walkers, staff and anyone in the vicinity of Chipping Sodbury Golf Club.

If you are a member of a Golf Club or any other type of Sports Club and would like more information or advice about how to make yours a HeartSafe® Club, then please call us on 01275 332323.

Photo showing the Public Access Defibrillator and cabinet being launched by Clive Reynolds (Seniors' Captain at Chipping Sodbury Golf Club), Jim Elsworth (Chairman of Chipping Sodbury Town Lands Charity) and Barry Riley (President of Chipping Sodbury Rotary Club)

AUGUST 2010

Farrington Golf & Country Club in Farrington Gurney, Somerset has become the first Golf Club in the UK to have a Public Access Defibrillator.  This means that anyone visiting Farrington Golf & Country Club, whether it be to play golf, use the Health & Fitness Centre or visit the Clubhouse for a drink, meal or any other social event, at any time of the day or evening, will have the peace of mind that a defibrillator is immediately available should anyone suffer a Sudden Cardiac Arrest.  

The scheme is part of the growing number of HeartSafe® cabinets that are being located in public places and communities, and is supported by the Great Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust.  The defibrillator and HeartSafe® cabinet were funded by the members and staff of Farrington Golf & Country Club, who recognised the importance of this simple life-saving device and the benefits it would bring to those who use the Club's facilities.

If you are a member of a Golf Club or any other type of Sports Club anywhere in the UK and would like more information, then please contact us.       

Photo showing the defibrillator and cabinet being handed over to Paul Harwood (owner of Farrington Golf & Country Club) and Jon Cowgill (Farrington's Director of Golf) by Clive Setter (of AED Locator (E.U.) Ltd)

AUGUST 2010

JULY 2010

Churchill Community Foundation School (including its Sixth Form Centre) has become the latest school in the UK to become HeartSafe®.  The school is in the village of Churchill in North Somerset and lies 8 miles east of Weston-super-Mare.  The Public Access Defibrillator within a weatherproof secure heated HeartSafe® cabinet has been installed on the wall at the main entrance to the school.  The defibrillator is accessible 24/7 - even outside of school hours and during the school holidays.  

Photo showing the defibrillator and cabinet being handed over to Dr Barry Wratton (Head Teacher) and Paul Lund (Chair of Governors) by Clive Setter (of AED Locator (E.U.) Ltd

JULY 2010

Click here to read the exciting news that Zoll Medical Corporation (based in Chelmsford, Essex) has been announced as the sole supplier of defibrillators for the British Heart Foundation in the UK for the next three years. 

AED Locator (E.U.) Ltd are proud to be a distributor for the defibrillators manufactured by Zoll.  Click here to see a video of how easy it is to use this life-saving equipment, including a demonstration of Zoll's Real CPR Help Tool - a facility that gives the lay person prompts on the frequency and compression during CPR. 

JUNE 2010

The Gate Inn in Upper Brailes and The George Hotel in Lower Brailes are the latest locations to become HeartSafe® within the region served by the UK's West Midlands Ambulance Service. 

Funded by donations co-ordinated by the Brailes Parish Council, there is now a Public Access Defibrillator (PAD) in a weatherproof secure HeartSafe® cabinet located outside both The Gate Inn and The George Hotel in these two neighbouring villages at the southern tip of the county of Warwickshire.  To coincide with the installation of the two PADs, the West Midlands Ambulance Service provided awareness and demonstration sessions to about 60 people living in/near Brailes who were interested in learning more about this important life-saving equipment.

If you would like more information about making your village or community HeartSafe®, then please call us for a chat on 01275 332323.

Photo showing the Public Access Defibrillator at The Gate Inn in Upper Brailes

Photo showing the Public Access Defibrillator outside The George Hotel (Lower Brailes) with David Wiggins (Landlord) and Chris Righton (Parish Councillor)

JUNE 2010

Help is at hand on the roof of Wales for walkers who may find themselves faced with a life threatening scenario.  The Welsh Ambulance Service has joined together with Snowdon Mountain Railway, Arrhythmia Alliance and AED Locator to place a brand new Public Access Defibrillator (PAD) in Hafod Eryri on the summit of Snowdon.

 

For further information on the launch of the PAD on Mount Snowdon, please click on the following links:

• BBC News
• North Wales Daily Post
• Wales Online News
• London Wired News
• Welsh Ambulance Service
• Snowdon Mountain Railway

MARCH 2010

This article was published in the Midhurst and Petworth Observer on 11th March 2010.

The public access defibrillator in Graffham (near Petworth), attached to the side wall of Empire Hall in a bright green cabinet with keypad access, is the first in a pioneering scheme which sees collaboration between South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAMB) and local communities in West Sussex.

The Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is an essential first step in treating a victim of Sudden Cardiac Arrest and, in a remote community such as Graffham where an ambulance may not arrive for 15 to 20 minutes, access to such a device by a member of the public may save a life.  In towns and larger villages in Sussex, AEDs may be operated by fully trained Community First Responders.  The difference in Graffham is that, following a 999 call to the Emergency Services, an untrained friend or passer-by may be invited to fetch the device and use it on the patient while waiting for an ambulance to arrive.

It was recognised for this system to work in an isolated location, the devices would need to be highly visible yet secure, hence the specially-manufactured bright green cabinets with automatic overhead lighting.  The cabinets can be opened by entering a unique key-code which is given to the caller by the Emergency Services.  Once the cabinet is open, the AED is simple to use providing concise recorded instructions to the operator, as it monitors the patient.  Providing the patient is near the telephone, the user will continue to receive backup from the Emergency Services as they operate the AED.

Residents of Graffham have attended information sessions at the Empire Hall organised by Garry Perkins (Responder Operations Manager for SECAMB) in conjunction with Graffham co-ordinators Alison Davidson and Roger Coakes.  While Mrs Davidson explained how to open the cabinet in an emergency, Mr Perkins demonstrated the principles of using the defibrillator on Mini-Anne (the dummy) and answered questions from members of the public.

SECAMB hopes many villages in West Sussex will follow Graffham's lead in installing public access AEDs.  Mr Perkins stressed that projects must be both organised and financed by local communities themselves.

In Graffham the project was initiated and underwritten by the District Nursing Association.  Grants were provided by the Graffham and East Lavington parish councils, the Guillod Trust and the North Chicester County Local Committee Community Initiative Funding Scheme.  Also a substantial amount of the funding came from Graffham-based organisations, clubs and societies, as well as generous residents.

Representatives of other communities who would like to organise a similar scheme should contact us and we will provide advice and guidance as well as putting you in contact with the appropriate person within your local Ambulance Service.

MARCH 2010

The Wells Road Osteopaths in Knowle (Bristol) has become the first Osteopathic and Complementary Therapy Centre in the UK to have a Public Access Defibrillator located outside its premises. 

The defibrillator in its green secure weatherproof HeartSafe® cabinet has been provided by Lisa Kennard and David Richardson, owners of the Wells Road Clinic.  This life saving equipment is available 24/7 and, as well as being accessible by the clinic's patients and staff, is available for anyone to use as directed by Great Western Ambulance Service following a 999 Emergency Call in the vicinity of Wells Road in Knowle.

This means that there are now 20 Public Access Defibrillators in and around Bristol, making it one of the most HeartSafe® areas in the country in which to live.

If you would like more information on Public Access Defibrillators, then please contact us.

FEBRUARY 2010

Midlands Town Leads the Way in Installing Life-Saving Public Defibrillators

Event Dates: 23^rd & 25^th February 2010

When someone suddenly collapses from Sudden Cardiac Arrest in the street or at a public event, time and knowledge are crucial factors around whether they survive.  All too often, they die before an ambulance can reach them.  Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) kills more people a year than breast cancer, lung cancer and AIDS combined, but a Midlands charity, Arrhythmia Alliance, is aiming to cut the risk of death from SCA by introducing life-saving emergency equipment in public places across the country – with the Warwickshire town of Shipston-on-Stour being one of the first.

                 Recently installed defibrillator cabinet outside The George Hotel (Shipston-on-Stour)

SCA is the abrupt loss of the heart rhythm caused by an electrical problem with the heart.  The only treatment for a patient in cardiac arrest is the use of CPR with an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) which delivers an electric shock to restore the heart to a normal rhythm.  In the event of a SCA, the first seven to eight minutes are critical, with early defibrillation increasing a person’s chances of survival from 5% to 50%.  It is estimated that 12% of these incidents happen in public places.  The idea of community AEDs is to enhance emergency services and first responder schemes.

Working with the Ambulance Service, Arrhythmia Alliance is helping to place AEDs across the country, in external weatherproof cabinets, keypad locked for security and easily identifiable by their prominent (emergency green) colour.  If a Sudden Cardiac Arrest is suspected, a 999 caller is directed to their nearest cabinet and given the access code to retrieve the AED.  The operator is then able to talk the caller through using the device while an ambulance is on the way.

In the Midlands, four cabinets have been located in Shipston-on-Stour and a second in Stratford-upon-Avon.  All have been funded by the local community and local businesses.  A further cabinet has also been located in the village of Newbold-on-Stour in loving memory of Mr Charles Lobban, who passed away in 2008 from sudden cardiac death.

                   Recently installed defibrillator cabinet outside the Village Shop (Newbold-on-Stour)

Arrhythmia Alliance and the West Midlands Ambulance Service are offering awareness and demonstration sessions to anyone who is interested in learning how to use the devices.  The sessions are free and open to all with the first session on Tuesday 23^rd February between 6.30pm and 8.30pm at Shipston Sports Club and a second at the Newbold Village Hall on Thursday 25th February between 6:30pm and 8:30pm.

The Shipston launch will be the first GP practice in the UK to locate an AED outside of premises for public use.

Arrhythmia Alliance Trustee, Trudie Lobban, said, “This is a fantastic initiative that will save lives.  AEDs can literally mean the difference between life and death when someone has suffered a Sudden Cardiac Arrest.  I believe these should be located in all towns, especially at public and sporting venues and remote areas where it may take paramedics longer to get there.”

“This is such an important project for us and one that will make a huge impact.  We are working with ambulance and paramedic services across the country to implement as many AEDs as possible.  If your loved one experienced a Sudden Cardiac Arrest, you would want to have an AED as close by as possible to improve their chance of survival”.

The charity can facilitate the placement of AEDs across the country but the devices need to be paid for by local groups or organisations.  Arrhythmia Alliance will offer support and resources that can help get a project off the ground in local areas.

           Recently installed defibrillator cabinet outside the Shipston Sports Club (Shipston-on-Stour)

For more information, please contact Ben Fry at ben@heartrhythmcharity.org.uk or call 01789 451830.

This article has been supplied by the Arrhythmia Alliance Charity. 

NOVEMBER 2009

The village of Llanrhaeadr YM Mochnant (near Oswestry in Powys) has become the second location in Wales to have a Public Access Defibrillator - in fact, not just one but TWO Public Access Defibrillators!  One is installed in the Market Square whilst the other is outside the Recreation Pavilion.  Congratulations to the village community who, with the support of the Welsh Ambulance Service, raised enough funds to buy this life-saving equipment.  The images below show the cabinets being delivered to the Market Square and the Recreation Pavilion.

NOVEMBER 2009

Henley-on-Thames now has HeartSafe® Villages

Click here to read about the next four villages in UK to install Public Access Defibrillators

 NOVEMBER 2009

The first Heartsafe® cabinet containing a life-saving defibrillator has been installed in a rural village in Wales.   It is sited outside the Village Hall in Abergynolwyn  - a small village lying near Snowdonia to the north of Cardigan Bay and the town of Aberystwyth.  The Village Hall stands in the centre of the village and is the focal point of the community, making it the perfect location for this life-saving equipment. 

Congratulations to the villagers of Abergynolwyn who, with the support of the Welsh Ambulance Service, were the first in Wales to raise funds for a Public Access Defibrillator.

Photo showing the defibrillator cabinet outside Abergynolwyn Village Hall