Village defibrillator

Published: 23 July 2018

ou may have noticed the cabinet on the outside wall of the Coop in The Square in Westbourne. This holds a defibrillator that is available all the time and could save the life of someone having a heart attack.

No special skill, training or qualification is needed to use the defibrillator. It is designed to be used, if instructed to do so by the Ambulance Service, by anyone.

If you think someone is having a heart attack, ALWAYS dial 999 and ask for ‘ambulance’.

The Ambulance Service will ask a few questions to establish what should be done. If you or someone can go to the defibrillator, give the Ambulance Service the reference number on the front of the cabinet. They will give you a four digit code to open the cabinet.

Take the defibrillator and pack of sundries (scissors, gloves, mask etc) to the patient. If the Ambulance Service is still on the line, they will tell you how to use the defibrillator. If the Ambulance Service is not on the line, open the defibrillator and a recorded voice will tell you how to use it.

Instructions for opening the cabinet are on the front of the cabinet. Instructions for opening the defibrillator to start the recorded voice are on the defibrillator.