There are more and more AED’s (Automated External Defibrillators) in Public Access Cabinets across the Country. Including our locality, Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk. Without them and the hard work of the organisations, like Heart to Heart Norfolk, (a local charity to us, based in Gorleston). Who along with many other charities etc., raise the funds to put these lifesaving units into the community, many people would not be here today.
The Chain of Survival – is very important, which includes the initial Emergency First Aid, CPR and AED
Statistics prove that the early use of an AED along with CPR significantly improves the chances of a casualty’s survival. The majority of the population have no formal First Aid training unless they have attended an Emergency First Aid at Work, First Aid at Work, or Paediatric First Aid course for their job role.
FYI –
- 270 children die in the UK every year after suffering a Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) at school
- Approximately 60,000 Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrests (OHCA) occur every year in the UK
- The Ambulance Service in England attempts resuscitation in around 30,000 OHCA cases, each year
- Approximately 80% of OHCA occur at Home – 20% in public places
- 90-95% of SCA victims will die, without immediate treatment
- 11 minutes is the average response time for the emergency services to a cardiac related incident in an urban area
- If within 1 minute of a victim collapsing, CPR and an AED is used, the victim’s survival rate can be as high as 90%
- Within 3-5 minutes, if effective CPR and an AED is used, the victim’s chance of survival increases from 6% (with just CPR), to 74%
- Every minute without CPR the victim’s chance of survival decreases by approximately 10%
- Only 22% of people in the UK would be confident in performing CPR on a stranger
- Less are likely to perform CPR on a female
- The current rate of initial bystander CPR in England is reported as being as low as 43% (compared to 73% in Stavanger, Norway during 2006-2008).
- The likelihood of causing harm to the casualty while performing CPR or using an AED is minimal
- However breaking ribs performing CPR on an Adult is normal, DO NOT STOP compressions
- You cannot be sued for giving CPR in a court of law they have to prove you had intent to cause harm, authorities would prefer you tried something than do nothing at all
- Basic first aid will maintain an oxygen supply to the casualty’s brain and other vital organs and make it more likely that the heart can be restarted by a defibrillator
- The main reason so few people survive Sudden Cardiac Arrest is due to defibrillation not being provided quickly enough after they have collapsed
- Countries with the highest rates of OHCA survival are those which have strengthened all 4 links in the chain of survival
– HAVING PUBLIC ACCESS AED’S AND BEING CONFIDENT IN USING ONE IS VITAL
At MJ Training East LTD we get frustrated by the amount of money some groups, including charities appear to be charged for their AED’s and cabinets. Plus, more recently we are finding organisations out there charging for a service to check that a Public Access AED Unit (PAD Unit) is in working order, (to satisfy your statutory requirements!) In some cases, they are not actually doing anything other than send an email, which is not happening and or, is not required.
Once a business or organisation has purchased an AED, that piece of equipment does comes under the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER). Therefore, some system needs to be in place to check that the AED remains in good working order, but that is not difficult to achieve and does not always need the organisation to pay for a third party to do this for them.
As a small business ourselves we sponsor a Heartsine 500P AED, at a local hotel in Beccles, The Waveney House Hotel and fortunately Beccles in Suffolk is quite well catered for with regards to Public Access AED units. We then find that in other areas we deliver First Aid Training Courses, throughout Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk, there is some really patchy cover, with regards to the availability of PAD Units. As well as a general lack of understanding about them.
We regularly find –
- Many do not realise anyone can use an AED
- Technically training is not required, the unit will give you some instructions along with the Ambulance Control over the phone.
- However, with a short presentation on CPR and Safe Use of an AED, members of the public are usually happier to give it a go if required and they have more confidence with regards to attempting CPR and using the AED.
When it comes to buying an AED there are a number of aspects you need to consider –
- Fully automatic or semi-automatic
- Fixed joules or escalating
- IP Rating
- Adult and child capabilities
- Price of the unit
- Cost of replacement pads and batteries
- Length of shelf life on pads and batteries
Being the main aspects that are not always explained to purchasers and or understood.
At MJ Training East LTD –
We are happy to talk to anyone who wants to know more about PAD units, AED/Defibrillators in general. We do not sell AED’s, but we can give you advice on what kind of unit would be best for your organisation / area. We can also at times direct you to a supplier that has a good deal on, or will give you a discount.
Free of charge presentations
At MJ Training East LTD are happy to give a free presentation on Basic CPR (Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation) and Safe Use of an AED (Automated External Defibrillator) to organisations, villages, clubs etc., whenever we can. We specifically deliver presentations, across Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk including groups so far in Shenfield, Hutton, Chelmsford and Colchester in Essex. Lowestoft, Woodbridge, Beccles, Bungay, Earsham, Pakefield in Suffolk. Great Yarmouth, Norwich, Caister, Hemsby, Holt, in Norfolk. If you are in any of these areas or surrounding areas and would like us to give a presentation to your group or community on CPR and the Safe Use of an AED, we would be happy to speak to you and see what we can organise for you.
Below are some thankyou emails sent to the co-ordinator of such an event at one of our clients based near Brentwood, Essex, do take a look.
If you would like any information on AED’s, would like to have a presentation on CPR and the Safe Use of a Public Access AED, or would like to know what training we could deliver for you, give us a call on –
01502 560779 or email us at – info@mjtrainme.co.uk
Training courses we deliver include – First Aid at Work, Emergency First Aid at Work, First Aid at Work Refresher/Requalification, Annual Refresher in First Aid, Emergency Paediatric First Aid, Paediatric First Aid, CPR and AED, Oxygen, Town Pastors First Aid, Emergency First Aid/Basic First Aid, Food Safety, Food Safety Awareness, Health & Safety, Fire Safety, COSHH and Infection Control, Manual Handling, Safe Moving of Loads and People
Most of these can have an Ofqual recognised Level 2 or 3 Certificate Awarded, or if you prefer, we can also award our own non-accredited Certificate.
We also cover small events – with highly qualified and professional first responders, providing first aid cover for a variety of lower risk events. For more information again contact us as above.
MJ Training East LTD is an approved centre, approved by Qualsafe Awards, an Awarding Organisation recognised by Ofqual, to offer regulated Qualifications.
St Mary’s Church – Shenfield, Essex – Thank you emails, following a Free CPR and AED Presentation
Hi Norman,
Thanks for your email and for the training provided by Michelle. As I think I said I am first aid training for guiding UK and I thought Michelle made her training really easy to follow for the “general public” to get the information they needed to help someone out if needed but at the same time didn’t overload with information that wasn’t necessary for the task they would be undertaking – fingers crossed we never have to put our training into action though!
Many thanks
Sarah
Dear Norman,
I found the course great and feel much happier knowing a lot more about the defibrillator after the course. Sorry we couldn’t stay for tea.
Regards
Angie
Thanks Norman,
I was going to email you to say thanks for organising the training as it was really useful. Even in that short time I feel confident and able to do what’s required if the situation ever arises. As you say you hope it’s something you never have to use but being able to help and potentially save a life if it does happen is priceless. I’ll be sure to mention to anyone how useful it was
Thanks again
Jimmy
Thanks for this, Norman.
Friday’s training was really useful. Although I have been a First aider for some years, (used to teach it to St John Ambulance certification standard at Brentwood school when I was teaching there), I’ve never seen the AED in action before.
Hopefully we’ll never have to use it, but you never know,…even the public ones….it’s useful to have a good idea of what to do.
Sylvia
Hi Norman
I thought that the training was excellent, straight forward and to the point. When I arrived, I thought I would be clock watching a bit as it was late and for 2 hours. However totally the opposite, Michele was very engaging. Just so you know, I am also paediatric trained. Please can you ask Michele to also send through the videos of the 2 people who received defib training? Thank you, Norman,
Tamora
Thank you, Norman.
You beat me to it. It’s been a busy weekend, but I wanted to thank you very much for organising the training. I found it most informative and very useful. I have never attended a first aid course before and now feel confident about using the defib and also attempting CPR if I ever found myself alone in the situation. Michelle’s approach is excellent. She explained everything very well and demonstrated clearly. Thank you again and I will most definitely mention to other mothers from the school who I know attend church on a regular basis. As you say, you can never have enough people knowing what to do in an emergency.
Kind regards
Georgina