Wheatley Hill Parish Council has purchased a further life saving defibrillator for use by the local community. A defibrillator, in a locked cabinet, is now located on the wall of Abbotts Court Care Home, Wingate Lane, Wheatley Hill DH6 3LP.
There is also a defibrillator, in a locked heated cabinet, on the wall of the Heritage Centre in Wheatley Hill Cemetery which is available 24 hours a day. In addition to this there is a defibrillator located in Wheatley Hill Community Centre, Stephens Terrace. This defibrillator is available 8.30am to 7.30pm Monday to Friday.
In the event of a life-threatening emergency, you must first ring 999, this will alert the emergency services to come to your aid. You will be advised where the nearest defibrillator is, given the code to open the cabinet (if it’s in one), and asked if someone can retrieve it.
The defibrillators are fully automatic and give complete voice prompts on use. We hope that the defibrillators will never have to be used.
Questions and answers to see how saving a life can be easier than you think.
What is a defibrillator?
When a person goes into a cardiac arrest, their heart stops beating normally as the electrical activity in their heart becomes uncoordinated. A defibrillator sends out an electrical shock, to stop the electricity with the aim to get it to restart in a normal rhythm.
What should I do if I see someone who is unconscious and not breathing normally?
You must first call 999 to arrange for help. As well as guiding you through CPR, the call operator will be able to advise you if there is a defibrillator nearby. If there is, they will ask you to stay with the patient and continue CPR but ask someone around you to find the defibrillator.
Can anyone use one?
Yes. Defibrillators give the person using them clear audio instructions. You cannot hurt someone with a defibrillator because it won’t work unless a person is in cardiac arrest.
I’ve seen some defibrillators are locked inside a cabinet. How would I know how to get access to it in an emergency?
The 999 call handler will give you the code to unlock it.
Can it really make a difference to a person in cardiac arrest?
Definitely! Studies have shown that a shock given within three to five minutes can produce survival rates between 50 to 70 per cent. The immediate delivery of CPR combined with early use of a defibrillator gives a person in cardiac arrest the best chance of surviving.
