Action ready: Defibrillators in your community

You may have seen defibrillators in cases in your community inside or outside public buildings ready to help somebody in urgent need.  If these defibrillators have been registered on the national defibrillator network (known as ‘The Circuit’), the emergency services will know its location, access and status. There are currently 102,000 (source: British Heart Foundation) registered defibrillators in the UK. 

The chain of survival

When somebody is in cardiac arrest, the first few minutes are crucial, and bystanders have a vital part to play in starting the chain of survival before the arrival of the emergency services.

The chain of survival is a series of time-sensitive actions and interventions taken in the event of a cardiac arrest to give somebody the best chance of survival and recovery. Calling 999, followed by early CPR and defibrillation are the crucial first steps which bystanders, people on scene at the time, should take to improve the chance of survival and recovery.

The difference bystanders can make in these early minutes is significant. The out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survival rate in the UK is around 8% if only resuscitation/CPR is attempted. However, if a defibrillator is used alongside effective CPR within the first three to five minutes, a person’s chance of survival can increase to between 40% – 70%.

All public access defibrillators are important because it means bystanders can access and use the devices to bridge the gap before the emergency services arrive, something which is especially important in our large, rural region.

You’re not alone

While out of hospital cardiac arrests can happen anytime and anywhere in the community, 80% happen at home. If you find yourself as a bystander, whether for a stranger or a loved one, you’re never alone. A 999-call handler will talk you through what to do while emergency services, which may include a crew from East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA), are tasked to bring advanced critical care directly to the scene.

If other people are with you, the call handler will confirm the location and, if in a locked case, the code to access your nearest registered operational defibrillator. The device can be fetched by one person while another continues CPR on the person in cardiac arrest to keep blood flowing around the body and, importantly, to the brain.

Defibrillator Guardians

While it’s useful to know the locations of nearby defibrillators, around 40% (source: British Heart Foundation) are not accessible 24/7. Some may be inside buildings which are locked at night, for example, therefore it’s important to follow the 999-call handler’s instructions to where you can find the nearest accessible and operational defibrillator.

Defibrillators perform ‘self-checks’ but they are looked after by ‘Guardians,’ volunteers who perform additional checks to ensure the devices are in working condition, there is no damage, the kit is complete – including scissors to cut clothing and a razor for shaving chest hair – and the pads and devices haven’t expired. Defibrillators usually contain lithium batteries, which can have a lifespan of up to three years. Guardians will ensure these are replaced when needed.

Did you know?

You’ll often find community defibrillators in cabinets fixed to a wall and attached to an electricity supply. But this isn’t for charging purposes. This is to keep the device safe and insulated because cold weather can drain batteries. The power to the device is for light and temperature control.

Defibrillator pads are single use. If the device has been used on somebody who has suffered a cardiac arrest, or if the pads have expired, Defibrillator Guardians will replace these at the earliest opportunity to ensure the defibrillator is rescue ready as quickly as possible to help the next person in urgent need.

There’s no need to be anxious about using a defibrillator. They are clever pieces of equipment, which not only talk you through what to do, but they analyse the heart’s rhythm and only deliver a shock if it is needed.

Understanding how defibrillators work and how you can access one in a medical emergency means you can play your part in building a stronger and more resilient community.

If you’d like to learn more about defibrillators and CPR, book your free Community CPR Training with East Anglian Air Ambulance.