Defibulator -2018
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The defibrillator, funded by the Rotary Club of Wollaton Park and by groups including Probus, has now been installed outside St. Leonard’s Community Centre. John Tordoff of Rotary organised training sessions, and Ashley Jones, John Dornan and Ranjit Baruah attended an excellent presentation by Bruce Liddle, a Beeston and District First Responder.
Bruce welcomed the establishment of a community defibrillator, but reminded the group that cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) remained essential to thetreatment of a casualty unconscious and not breathing. He told us to remember DRS ABC. D is for danger: check that it is safe to proceed at that location. R is for response: shout “Can you hear me” into both ears and shake shoulders to check if conscious. S is to shout for help. A is to check the airway. B is for breathing: check by placing your ear at casualty’s mouth and watch for regular chest movements. C is for circulation: deal with major bleeding as a priority.
If casualty is not breathing one person needs to start CPR and another to phone 999 for the ambulance service. Chest compressions with straight arms are applied at a rate of 120 per minute. After 30 compressions 2 rescue breaths are given and this sequence maintained. If the breaths are not possible then chest compressions should continue without a break.
Meanwhile the ambulance service will respond at the highest priority to a casualty not breathing. It will provide the code to release the defibrillator and will stay on the phone to providefurther help. Clothing will need to be removed or torn to expose the chest, hair shaved at the sites if necessary and the two 2 pads attached as indicated on the pads. Switch on the defibrillator and follow its instructions. It will inform you to stop CPR for it to analyse the heart rhythm, and may then advise you to stand back for a shock to be given. CPR would then be restarted and furtherinstructions followed. The defibrillator gives detailed instructions, and cannot harm the casualty.
Ambulance staff would take over on arrival, but early community intervention could make all the difference to the outcome. Bruce will be attending the May meeting to give a brief presentation.
Ashley Jones
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