St John’s Ambulance are urging businesses in Nottingham to buy automated external defibrillators (AEDs), which can increases a person’s chances of survival after a cardiac arrest.
The life-saving equipment is usually only stored by GP surgeries, leisure centres and shopping malls, but St John’s Ambulance are urging other commercial properties in Nottingham, such as cinemas, football stadiums and bowling alleys, to follow suit and store an AED.
Cardiac arrest equates to around 13 per cent of all workplace incidents. If an AED is used within four minutes of the victim arresting, the chances of survival increase by over 50 per cent, as the machine shocks the heart back into life – so it is literally a case of life or death.
As part of National Heart Month, St John’s Ambulance has reduced the price of an AED and training for up to eight people from £1931 to £1695 for the whole of February. Although training is provided, anyone can use the machine as it talks the user through what to do.
Speaking of a person’s chance of survival after a cardiac arrest, Commercial Trainer Colin Bassford, for St John’s Ambulance in Nottingham, stated: “Figures show that around 13 per cent of all employees in industry will suffer a heart attack. That’s a phenomenal amount of people, when you compare it to how many accidents there are at work.
“These machines are friendly. They talk you through what to do, but people have this fear. We want to let people know that it is so easy to do, and it can increase people’s survival rates by between 50 and 80 per cent, but you have to get there early.”
Last year an AED was used at commercial property E.ON’s power station in Nottingham, after a worker suffered a heart attack. First aiders performed CPR and used an on-site AED to save the man’s life. It just shows you how critical AEDs are in saving people’s lives.
Trent Barton, who operate busses in the area, have taken action and currently stock three defibrillators in their bus depots in Nottingham. Speaking of AEDs, a spokesman stated: “Defibrillators are a very important part of the tools available to our first aiders and really user friendly.
“All of our first aid teams are committed to providing first aid assistance and the defibrillator is a vital piece of life saving kit available to them.”
Do you agree that commercial properties should buy AEDs, or do you think they should be given them for free? After all, they can make the difference between life and death – can you really put a price on that?
