Without immediate treatment, 90-95 per cent of cardiac arrests prove fatal
Research by the British Heart Foundation revealed that only four in ten bystanders performed CPR, and that 62 per cent of British adults admitted to being worried about what to do if someone collapsed in front of them after suffering cardiac arrest.
CPR must be learnt, but today’s defibrillators are all easy-to-use models that walk its user through the whole process and clearly communicate what to do.
What should you do if sudden cardiac arrest happens?
- Call 999
The emergency services should be immediately alerted to the problem. Once they have been called, CPR should be administered as soon as possible, if it hasn’t been already.
- Start CPR
The emergency services will be on their way and you should be starting CPR, but now’s the time to look for a nearby defibrillator.
- Look for a defibrillator
Find your nearest defibrillator with Heart Safe https://www.heartsafe.org.uk/AED-Locations but 999 will also tell you where your nearest one is.
Defibrillators, which are usually mounted onto walls in the places they are most needed, allow users to provide high-energy, powerful electric shocks to the heart through pads which are placed on the chest near the heart.
It’s the shock itself that’s called defibrillation.
Don’t be afraid to use one – they are automatic – follow the instructions – they will not deliver a shock unless it’s needed.
Time is Critical
Early defibrillation combined with CPR can improve survival rates to as high as 74% when defibrillation is provided within three minutes of collapse. For every minute that elapses between sudden cardiac arrest and defibrillation, the chance of survival decreases 7 to 10%. That’s why choosing an automated external defibrillator (AED) that can be trusted to help reduce unnecessary shock delays could make the difference between life and death.
At Walnut Grove we have been passionate about health and community for 30 years and counting. The Lions in Portishead have done a fantastic job at getting nearly 30 defibrillators installed in and around Portishead but it has been highlighted that there is a need for one in the vicinity of the area surrounding the clinic and the studio and they have kindly agreed to support us with this fundraising project and then the subsequent maintenance will be included within their existing programme.
We are aiming to raise enough money to enable 2 defibrillators to be bought and fitted at both Walnut Grove Clinic on Slade Road and at Walnut Grove Studio / Functional Fitness providing what we believe is a much-needed service for the community and helping to create a network or access to life saving defibrillators for EVERYONE!
Alongside the crowdfunding page we are going to host an event whereby we get as many people involved as possible on the 25th June 2022 to accumulate the miles, in whichever way they can to be involved – run, cycle, walk, swim, row, windsurf (!) – that would take us on a journey from Land’s End to John O’Groats. By road, this distance would be 874 miles so we need as much support as we can!!
Click here to help us help the community in Portishead!
