Defibrillator

A defibrillator is required if someone has a cardiac arrest. This means they are unresponsive and not breathing. A shock from a defibrillator can help to restart a patient's heart. These defibrillators are automated, give audible instructions and you cannot cause any harm or do anything wrong with them.

CPADs are Community Public Access Defibrillators which have been placed in communities across the country to reduce the time it takes to get a defibrillator to a patient. This can improve their chance of survival. They are usually secured with a keycode.

IF YOU FIND SOMEONE WHO IS UNRESPONSIVE AND NOT BREATHING…

You should call 999 and ask for an ambulance

• If you are within 600 metres of a CPAD you will be alerted to it and asked “is there someone with you who can go and get it?” You will also be given the code
• Someone must stay with the patient to perform CPR, so to access the defibrillator you would need someone else with you. If you are on your own you will be advised to start CPR
• A British Heart Foundation video, demonstrating use of CPR can be viewed online

After retrieving the defibrillator you will be guided through its use by our Emergency Medical Dispatcher (EMD) You may be asked to retrieve the defibrillator even if the patient is not in cardiac arrest, in this case it is just as a precaution and you may not need to attach it. If for any reason the EMD does not advise you of the presence of the CPAD (perhaps if you are beyond the 600 metre radius) you can always say to them “I know there is a CPAD in the next village” and they will be able to look up the code for you. This will apply to residents of West Thorpe and Nether Thorpe but all Thorpe Salvin properties should be within the 600m radius

Following the incident we would be grateful if you could place the defibrillator back in its cabinet. If you have forgotten the code email communityresilience@yas.nhs.uk who can advise you.