Does anyone own a defibrillator?
Discussion
It's something I've thought about for a while now.
I live in a rural village, no idea where the nearest ambulance would be, maybe 15 miles away, if theres one available that is.
Some of the villages around where I am have them in phone boxes and so on but ours is too small (20 homes and a couple of farms) and doesn't.
I dont have any cardiac issues (that I know of), but apparently they are the biggest saver for a cardiac arrest (as long as its a shockable rythym). Some known cardiac issues which affected 2 grandparents though.
So my question is, does anyone have one and if so what model? So many on the internet available and prices aren't that bad realiy. Worthwhile having one?
I live in a rural village, no idea where the nearest ambulance would be, maybe 15 miles away, if theres one available that is.
Some of the villages around where I am have them in phone boxes and so on but ours is too small (20 homes and a couple of farms) and doesn't.
I dont have any cardiac issues (that I know of), but apparently they are the biggest saver for a cardiac arrest (as long as its a shockable rythym). Some known cardiac issues which affected 2 grandparents though.
So my question is, does anyone have one and if so what model? So many on the internet available and prices aren't that bad realiy. Worthwhile having one?
Before anyone else steams in - its probably better if your neighbour has one than you do if you know what I mean
I spend a lot of time cycling around the quieter bits of the Yorkshire Dales and as you say many villages and/or remote businesses have them and I was curious enough to have found this:
https://www.sja.org.uk/get-advice/i-need-to-know/d...
Between a modest number of you it would indeed appear reasonable value for money
Better still is there a business nearby that could contribute for a bit of good PR?
Good luck
Medic here, and I've been involved in requests to site these from time to time.
The first issue is that whilst the likelihood is that it will never be used in anger, it needs to be somewhere that it can be permanently plugged in to keep it charged, it may require occasional changes of pads or batteries and when you need to use it, you need someone to find and bring it to you within a very few minutes (since obviously you won't be in a position to use it on yourself....). In the rural setting you describe it would make most sense to have one publicly available 24-7, such as in a cabinet outside a shop or even an old phone booth - and crucially, it should registered with the emergency services so they can direct anyone immediately to it if they are calling about a suspected cardiac arrest in the vicinity. Many outside models will have a weatherproof cage with combination code (known to the ambulance handler) to keep thieves away - but if installing one your village council/voluntary group etc would need to factor in the cost of installing that too.
The second issue is that many people just freeze when they see someone collapse and don'#t know what to do besides ring 999. Therefore if installing one say to support a village community, it would be sensible to offer training - organisations like the British Heart Foundation can help advise further on that. Nothing worse than having someone collapse from a cardiac arrest outside an unused public defibrillator because passers by are too frightened to touch it, or just as bad, outside a building that's got one locked away inside it somewhere.
The automated ones are extremely safe by the way and recognise heart rhythms automatically so cannot accidentally give you an electric shock.
The first issue is that whilst the likelihood is that it will never be used in anger, it needs to be somewhere that it can be permanently plugged in to keep it charged, it may require occasional changes of pads or batteries and when you need to use it, you need someone to find and bring it to you within a very few minutes (since obviously you won't be in a position to use it on yourself....). In the rural setting you describe it would make most sense to have one publicly available 24-7, such as in a cabinet outside a shop or even an old phone booth - and crucially, it should registered with the emergency services so they can direct anyone immediately to it if they are calling about a suspected cardiac arrest in the vicinity. Many outside models will have a weatherproof cage with combination code (known to the ambulance handler) to keep thieves away - but if installing one your village council/voluntary group etc would need to factor in the cost of installing that too.
The second issue is that many people just freeze when they see someone collapse and don'#t know what to do besides ring 999. Therefore if installing one say to support a village community, it would be sensible to offer training - organisations like the British Heart Foundation can help advise further on that. Nothing worse than having someone collapse from a cardiac arrest outside an unused public defibrillator because passers by are too frightened to touch it, or just as bad, outside a building that's got one locked away inside it somewhere.
The automated ones are extremely safe by the way and recognise heart rhythms automatically so cannot accidentally give you an electric shock.
I used to work in a firm selling the Defibtec brand and travelled globally with a demo unit that could be made live in a very short space of time. Ended up using it a couple of times in emergencies and it was very easy to operate.
It was quite gratifying to get letters from folks whose lives had been saved as a result of us supporting them, we used to offer to give training for free.
My own local sports centre bought one from my firm and I helped with a sponsorship deal to get them at a reduced rate and did the training for them. A few weeks later it was used to save a guy who collapsed during a football match, without access it could have been a much sadder story.
Really recommend having one locally with the stretch the NHS ambulance service are facing, I was converted to them about 15 years ago now and it’s great to see more and more out there doing their job!
It was quite gratifying to get letters from folks whose lives had been saved as a result of us supporting them, we used to offer to give training for free.
My own local sports centre bought one from my firm and I helped with a sponsorship deal to get them at a reduced rate and did the training for them. A few weeks later it was used to save a guy who collapsed during a football match, without access it could have been a much sadder story.
Really recommend having one locally with the stretch the NHS ambulance service are facing, I was converted to them about 15 years ago now and it’s great to see more and more out there doing their job!
We have about 10 Philips Heartstart units here at work - all the ones kept outside are in heated boxes (green Perspex domes with green LED’s to highlight them.
The batteries last years but do need to be replaced periodically as well as the pads - they have a use by date.
The Philips units are incredibly easy to use and talk you through the whole process step by step.
It’s worth doing a basic defibrillator course just to get you familiar with the placement of the pads etc.
Unlikely to ever be used but it’s good to know they’re around.
The batteries last years but do need to be replaced periodically as well as the pads - they have a use by date.
The Philips units are incredibly easy to use and talk you through the whole process step by step.
It’s worth doing a basic defibrillator course just to get you familiar with the placement of the pads etc.
Unlikely to ever be used but it’s good to know they’re around.
Some food for thought there, useful posts so thanks.
No shop, no businesses, no phone boxes so power might need some work. Just houses and a couple of farms. The nearest one is 3.5 miles away so not exactly around the corner.
Good points re training, I've been trained in the use of them many times, as has my wife, both through work. That won't help anyone else use one on us of course I get that. As said, very simple to set up and use. I might see what the local parish council say as i think they may have a role in maintaining some in other villages.
No shop, no businesses, no phone boxes so power might need some work. Just houses and a couple of farms. The nearest one is 3.5 miles away so not exactly around the corner.
Good points re training, I've been trained in the use of them many times, as has my wife, both through work. That won't help anyone else use one on us of course I get that. As said, very simple to set up and use. I might see what the local parish council say as i think they may have a role in maintaining some in other villages.
Edited by Last Visit on Wednesday 27th July 23:02
Edited by Last Visit on Wednesday 27th July 23:03
S100HP said:
That shows one in our village but there’s four, and has been for some years. It does also show the one in the little hamlet of about 20 houses just outside the village and that was put there by the parish council.
I have one in the house, parent worked for a medical supply company and got one as a retirement gift 
Never needed to use it but have it handy should I ever need it. Pads need replaced every few years and the shelf life is about 10 years before the whole thing needs replaced.
They should have them everywhere they used to be over a grand but now much more affordable. I'd go as far as saying there should be a legal requirement for every sports facility to have at least one in an easy accessible place. There was an issue locally a few years back were premises had one but had a padlock on the box to stop it being stolen.When a man went into cardiac arrest it took 10 minutes for someone to smash it out of the box. Thankfully the man survived
Never needed to use it but have it handy should I ever need it. Pads need replaced every few years and the shelf life is about 10 years before the whole thing needs replaced.
They should have them everywhere they used to be over a grand but now much more affordable. I'd go as far as saying there should be a legal requirement for every sports facility to have at least one in an easy accessible place. There was an issue locally a few years back were premises had one but had a padlock on the box to stop it being stolen.When a man went into cardiac arrest it took 10 minutes for someone to smash it out of the box. Thankfully the man survived
Edited by sutoka on Thursday 28th July 02:09
I have one in a discrete beige box fitted on the outside of my house.
I've had it for a few years in the house and then decided to make it available to my neighbours.
I live in a small close and know the 16 neighbours so it just seemed like a sensible thing to do.
I put a note/info sheet through the doors and talked to all of them about it personally when I installed it.
I posted links to the manufacturers training videos etc. Hopefully we will never need it.
I'm happy to change the batteries and pads every few years as a community service.
https://uk.heartsine.com/products/
I've had it for a few years in the house and then decided to make it available to my neighbours.
I live in a small close and know the 16 neighbours so it just seemed like a sensible thing to do.
I put a note/info sheet through the doors and talked to all of them about it personally when I installed it.
I posted links to the manufacturers training videos etc. Hopefully we will never need it.
I'm happy to change the batteries and pads every few years as a community service.
https://uk.heartsine.com/products/
Last Visit said:
Some food for thought there, useful posts so thanks.
No shop, no businesses, no phone boxes so power might need some work. Just houses and a couple of farms. The nearest one is 3.5 miles away so not exactly around the corner.
Good points re training, I've been trained in the use of them many times, as has my wife, both through work. That won't help anyone else use one on us of course I get that. As said, very simple to set up and use. I might see what the local parish council say as i think they may have a role in maintaining some in other villages.
Please forgive the statement of the obvious, but it wants ti be sited on an outside wall/whatever with easy public access 24 hours a day.No shop, no businesses, no phone boxes so power might need some work. Just houses and a couple of farms. The nearest one is 3.5 miles away so not exactly around the corner.
Good points re training, I've been trained in the use of them many times, as has my wife, both through work. That won't help anyone else use one on us of course I get that. As said, very simple to set up and use. I might see what the local parish council say as i think they may have a role in maintaining some in other villages.
Sheepshanks said:
S100HP said:
That shows one in our village but there’s four, and has been for some years. It does also show the one in the little hamlet of about 20 houses just outside the village and that was put there by the parish council.
Hence my plea to anyone thinking of getting one to ensure it is (a) publicly accessible (smiling wryly at the tale above of wasting vital minutes smashing into a case) and (b) registered. With which list? Well, the British Heart Foundation, NHS ambulance services and Microsoft joined forces a couple of years back to create "the Circuit which is supposed to be the defining national system so I'd go with that personally.
I have no experience of solar panels but might be worth exploring if there are any cabinet designs with built in solar panels if you truly are off grid. You only need a low power supply to keep batteries topped up. But all costs money. Another issue is that if you live somewhere that there is no mobile phone signal you would need to consider how someone without a landline would be able to communicate with the ambulance service operator to give them the code to the cabinet, if you decide to keep it in an outdoor locked cabinet. Unfortunately as they have become more widespread, a small industry seems to be emerging in stealing them, so unless really remote you will need to think about security.
And don't forget to promote training in the use of them, as an unused defibrillator is not much good to anyone in a state of cardiac arrest.
In principle they are a brilliant idea - but they do require a bit more forethought than simply seeing them as an impulse purchase.
Chromegrill said:
Sheepshanks said:
S100HP said:
That shows one in our village but there’s four, and has been for some years. It does also show the one in the little hamlet of about 20 houses just outside the village and that was put there by the parish council.
Hence my plea to anyone thinking of getting one to ensure it is (a) publicly accessible (smiling wryly at the tale above of wasting vital minutes smashing into a case) and (b) registered. With which list? Well, the British Heart Foundation, NHS ambulance services and Microsoft joined forces a couple of years back to create "the Circuit which is supposed to be the defining national system so I'd go with that personally.
I have no experience of solar panels but might be worth exploring if there are any cabinet designs with built in solar panels if you truly are off grid. You only need a low power supply to keep batteries topped up. But all costs money. Another issue is that if you live somewhere that there is no mobile phone signal you would need to consider how someone without a landline would be able to communicate with the ambulance service operator to give them the code to the cabinet, if you decide to keep it in an outdoor locked cabinet. Unfortunately as they have become more widespread, a small industry seems to be emerging in stealing them, so unless really remote you will need to think about security.
And don't forget to promote training in the use of them, as an unused defibrillator is not much good to anyone in a state of cardiac arrest.
In principle they are a brilliant idea - but they do require a bit more forethought than simply seeing them as an impulse purchase.
Just searched on the link above out of interest and for a mental note of where the nearest ones are to my work / parents' home etc. I know of at least 4 more that aren't shown on that link or "the Circuit" one however.
I hope there is some corner of hell reserved for those that steal these (same for life belts etc). I can't imagine what possible use you could have for one, outside of an emergency.
R56Cooper said:
Very interesting topic.
Just searched on the link above out of interest and for a mental note of where the nearest ones are to my work / parents' home etc. I know of at least 4 more that aren't shown on that link or "the Circuit" one however.
I hope there is some corner of hell reserved for those that steal these (same for life belts etc). I can't imagine what possible use you could have for one, outside of an emergency.
Interesting validation of real world situation and the reality that what might seem really simple can be a bit more complex when you start to look at it. I'm sure the ambulance service would greatly appreciate knowing the location of any unregistered defibrillators that you are aware of (as long as they still work and haven't been nicked!). They may however make a distinction between always publicly accessible and known locations - if a defibrillator is inside a building (e.g. GP surgery or sports centre) it may not be listed since it's not freely available 24-7, though the ambulance service would still want to be aware of it.Just searched on the link above out of interest and for a mental note of where the nearest ones are to my work / parents' home etc. I know of at least 4 more that aren't shown on that link or "the Circuit" one however.
I hope there is some corner of hell reserved for those that steal these (same for life belts etc). I can't imagine what possible use you could have for one, outside of an emergency.
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