Andrew is delighted to announce that the public access defibrillator for the Marshlands is now up and running.
Andrew secured a £1,000 casing for the defibrillator from the Yorkshire Ambulance Service and the parish council kindly purchased the defibrillator as part of their emergency plan. The defibrillator is located on the outside of Ousefleet Village Hall and is easily accessible in the event of an emergency.
A defibrillator is a machine that delivers an electric shock to the heart when someone is having a cardiac arrest. When someone goes into cardiac arrest, every minute that passes without CPR and defibrillation reduces their chance of survival by 10%. Communities where response times are realistically more than 5 minutes away are encouraged to set up their own community first responder programme and/or install a public access defibrillator (PAD).
These PADs are designed to improve patient outcomes in places difficult for ambulances to access, such as rural areas. In the event of a cardiac arrest, if there is more than one person available at the scene, the ambulance service will provide the location and code for the defibrillator allowing one to collect it for use whilst the other is talked through CPR. The defibrillator itself will guide the user through the necessary steps and anyone is able to operate it.
Andrew says: "I am a really keen supporter of public access defibrillators and I’m very pleased that we have been able to secure this one as part of a wider scheme to improve patient outcomes locally.
"In places such as the Marshlands it is often difficult for ambulances to access and we need to ensure that residents have appropriate resources to hand in an emergency. The defibrillators are easy to use and when seen as part of a wider scheme with community first responders and CPR training we can start to make a positive difference to cardiac arrest survival rates. We are currently organising some training for local residents and I would be happy to be contacted by anyone interested.”
Cllr Paul Rudd, Chair of Twin Rivers Parish Council, adds: “Twin Rivers Parish Council purchased this defibrillator to be situated on the external wall of Ousefleet Village Hall and we are pleased that this is now ready should the need arise. As a parish council we are always looking at ways to improve our emergency plan and we will shortly be writing to residents for volunteers.
"On a sour note, in the same week the strong box was fitted at Ousefleet Village Hall, there were reports and evidence that bricks had been thrown at the box to try and get in it. Luckily the box has only suffered slight markings and still works, but this potentially life-saving piece of equipment is there for the benefit of the whole community. Please remember that any types of vandalism should be reported on the non-emergency police number, 101.”
If anyone would like more information about the defibrillator or training to use one they can contact Andrew’s office on 01405 767969
