22 Jan Communal defibrillator now at Barwell
A defibrillator has been installed at Barwell Business Park for communal use by all occupiers in emergency situations.
Located near the gate house, the defibrillator gives a high energy electric shock to the heart of someone who is in cardiac arrest and is unlocked by calling 999 for an access code.
If you come across someone in cardiac arrest:
- Call 999
- Start CPR
- Ask someone to bring the defibrillator
- Turn on the defibrillator and follow its instructions.
Colin Lawrence-Waterhouse, Asset Manager, Aviva Investors, said: “With widely-reported figures advising that the chances of survival decrease by about 10% with every passing minute following a cardiac arrest, we felt it was vital to have one installed for the benefit of all occupiers and the local community.”
For anyone who is uncertain how to use the equipment, the British Heart Foundations offers this advice: “You don’t need to be trained to use a defibrillator – anyone can use it. They are simple and easy to use and you don’t need any training. There are clear instructions on how to attach the defibrillator pads. It then assesses the heart rhythm and will only instruct you to deliver a shock if it’s needed. You can’t deliver a shock accidentally, the defibrillator will only allow you to shock if it is needed.”
You can also watch this video by London Ambulance Service NHS Trust to learn how to use the defibrillator.
Steris IMS has also installed an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) at their premises for all to use.
The company said: “At STERIS IMS, we hope this is something we will never have to use for our employees, however, the benefits of having an AED installed at each of our facilities are un-deniable. In the event of someone’s heart stopping, these devices are lifesaving in fact, a report by BMJ states that survival rates as high as 50-70% can be achieved when a patient is treated with an AED as part of an early response (3-5 minutes).”
Do you have a workplace defibrillator that could be used by the Barwell community in an emergency? Do let us know.