Village automatic external defibrillator (AED)
Minskip is a wonderfully rural village; however, because of this we need to make sure help is never far away.
Communities across the Harrogate district have been awarded money to help them buy public access defibrillators thanks to a one off funding scheme from Harrogate Borough council.
Last November the council set aside £16,000 to help fund up to 18 community defibrillators. Minskip were among the successful applicants.
Applications would only be considered if they came from recognised community groups or organisations so the Minskip application was submitted by the Village Hall Committee on behalf of the village.
The scheme works with Yorkshire Ambulance Service and the Heartsafe Communities project to place these life saving devices in locations where quick and easy access to paramedics or a hospital is not an option. They can be used by anyone without any previous training as they provide vocal instructions.
The village has been raising funds to help to pay for the defibrillator that has been installed on an outside wall of the village hall. The overwhelming generosity of everyone involved has led to the defibrillator fund nearly reaching its goal!
Let's keep the momentum going!
About AEDs
Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is a leading cause of premature death, but with immediate treatment many lives can be saved. SCA occurs because the electrical rhythm that controls the heart is replaced by a chaotic disorganised electrical rhythm called ventricular fibrillation (VF). The quicker VF can be treated by defibrillation the greater the chance of successful resuscitation. Seconds count, and the ambulance service is unlikely to arrive quickly enough to resuscitate most victims.
Many SCA victims can be saved if persons nearby recognise what has happened, summon the ambulance service with the minimum of delay, perform basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation (particularly chest compressions) and use an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) to provide a high energy electric shock to restore the heart’s normal rhythm. Each of these stages is a link in a chain of events that provide the best chance of success, but the critical factor is the speed with which the shock is given.
AEDs are easy to use, compact, portable and very effective. They are designed to be used by lay persons; the machines guide the operator through the process by verbal instructions and visual prompts. They are safe and will not allow a shock to be given unless the heart’s rhythm requires it. They are designed to be stored for long periods without use and require very little routine maintenance.
AEDs have been installed in many busy public places, workplaces, or other areas where the public have access. The intention is to use the machines to restart the heart as soon as possible. This strategy of placing AEDs in locations where they are used by lay persons near the arrest is known as public access defibrillation (PAD). Training to use an AED is an extension of the first aid skills possessed by first aid personnel and appointed persons. AEDs have been used successfully by untrained persons, and lack of training should not be a deterrent to their use.
From: A guide to Automated External Defibrillators By Resuscitation Council (UK) and British Heart Foundation (Decmber 2013)
For more information about AEDs please visit: https://www.resus.org.uk/publications/a-guide-to-aeds/