Last month, while waiting for the bus, I noticed a bright yellow object on the outside wall of the Methodist Church.
It contains a piece of life-saving equipment, a defibrillator.
Nigel Moorse, the driving force behind making the defibrillator happen, explains to us in this article the origin of this defibrillator, and how you can benefit from it.
What is a defibrillator?
Nigel Moorse: A defibrillator is a safe and reliable computerised device that delivers electric shocks to a casualty in cardiac arrest.
An Automated External Defibrillator (AED) can be used by the general public in an emergency where a child or adult casualty is in cardiac arrest and not breathing.
How useful is a defibrillator to the general public?
Nigel Moorse: Anyone can use a defibrillator. Once turned ON, there are clear and concise voice prompts advising you exactly what to do every step of the way, both CPR (kiss of life) and defibrillation. The computer within will judge if a shock is required or not.
Where is the defibrillator at the centre of Chandler’s Ford?
Nigel Moorse: The defibrillator is housed inside a special yellow cabinet on the exterior wall of the Chandler’s Ford Methodist Church facing Winchester Road.
It is available 24/7/365 for any person living within approximately 2 minutes’ drive, although those living further away are still recommended to use the facility in a life threatening situation.
The Church entrance is easily accessed in order to collect the defibrillator.
Who might benefit from this defibrillator?
Nigel Moorse: This defibrillator is available to hundreds of households e.g. in Oakmount, Fryern, Peverells Road, Scantabout, Thornden, Merdon, Kingsway, Brownhill Road, Valley Road, Park Road, Hut Farm Place etc.
It also includes all those who work or shop within approximately 2 minutes’ walk of the Church, pedestrians, motorists / accidents and bus stop users along Winchester Road.
It also benefits all who visit the Methodist Church premises for whatever reason from morning to night, throughout the week, from children to adults.
How to use a defibrillator?
Nigel Moorse: Dial 999.
After you’ve dialled 999 first, the Ambulance Service will tell you where the nearest Public Defibrillator is situated and will also give you the combination PIN code to unlock the cabinet.
Take out the Orange carrying case containing the defibrillator to your casualty.
At the casualty, turn it ON. There are clear and concise voice prompts advising you exactly what to do every step of the way, both CPR (kiss of life) and defibrillation.
The computer within the defibrillator will judge if a shock is required to restart the heart or not. It is fully automatic.
Where are the defibrillators in the Chandler’s Ford area?
Nigel Moorse: For Public use:
- Outside The Hilt (Hiltingbury Recreational Field)
- Outside Velmore Church
- Outside the Chandler’s Ford Methodist Church on Winchester Road
Other defibs are located within doctors’ surgeries and residential homes etc., but these seem to be used only by qualified Medical staff.
There is an ‘App’ for your android mobile called AED Locator. It is available on the South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust website. It also says that the iPhone app is being redeveloped.
(The defibrillators at the Methodist Church is not on the app yet!)
However, you must dial 999 Emergency Services FIRST. You will then be told where the nearest defibrillator is situated and be given the Combination PIN Code to unlock the cabinet.
A meeting: Getting familiar with a defibrillator: 7.30 p.m. Thursday 26th November 2015
There will be a meeting to inform you how to use a defibrillator.
A member of the NHS Ambulance Service will demonstrate and allow hands-on experience of a defibrillator on Thursday November 26th at 7.30 p.m. in Room 1 of the Chandler’s Ford Methodist Church (Winchester Road, Chandlers Ford SO53 2GJ).
Representatives of Groups using The Methodist Church and The Age Concern Hall in Brownhill Road are invited to attend, and anyone else who is interested.
This will be a short meeting but please park nearby because there will be a play performance in the main hallon that day.
What inspired you to get involved with the defibrillator project?
Nigel Moorse: I am retired and attend the weekly Men’s Keep Fit Group (known as SHARG – Senior Health and Recreation Group) held at The Age Concern Hall, Brownhill Road. Our Instructor Ms Natalie Shaw told us about the benefits of a Defibrillator in cases of emergency where time and the availability of Ambulances was important.
I woke up one day with the idea of placing a defibrillator on the outside wall of the Methodist Church as it is quite easily accessed by car and in a good central location. The first thing was to get permission from The Methodist Church, which was graciously given. After that, it was a matter of raising the funds so that the cabinet and defibrillator could run for 10 years with no further funding required.
Where’s the funding from?
Nigel Moorse: I approached the Chandler’s Ford Parish Council under their “Granted To You” scheme which donates to useful voluntary developments in the Parish by means of public votes at a special meeting.
This secured £1659.60 to pay for the defibrillator and cabinet. My appeal for funding for the 10 Year Guarantee, electricity and “The Get Familiar” meeting, went by word of mouth and was answered by The Masons at Kings Court Masonic Centre and a Cycling Charity, Stelvio Challenge. I am most grateful to all three benefactors.
I could not have completed this project without the considerable help and support from John Bronsdon and Shaun Fletcher from the Methodist Church.
Resources: Here is a film (4 minutes) about using a defibrillator: FA with British Heart Foundation.
Lions club of Eastleigh present a defibrillator to the Pavilion on the Park, Fleming Park https://t.co/J5TKboLren pic.twitter.com/MiEtqYV5w9
— Eastleigh Borough (@EastleighBC) January 19, 2016
Updated news: September 2017: Now there is a new defibrillator outside goPhysio on Bournemouth Road, Chandler’s Ford.
Thanks to support from local businesses and our patients, we have now been able to provide a public access defib for Chandlers Ford. pic.twitter.com/UvZJMjEp6c
— goPhysio (@goPhysioUK) September 4, 2017
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September and October Events in Chandler’s Ford
Chandler’s Ford Produce and Craft Market and Other Local Events
Chandler’s Ford Produce and Craft Market and Other Local Events – from October 2018
From Elvis to Refugees (and Christmas) – Upcoming Events in Chandler’s Ford
Uplifting: Chandler’s Ford 42nd Joint Charities Christmas Market 2015
That is good news. Great that Nigel Moorse has given a great service to his community by arranging the defibrillator.
One hears so many people complain that “they” should do something. Instead of complaining, Nigel just went and did it. We should all be grateful for his work.
Defibrillators are great and do save lives. It’s good to know that Chandler’s Ford is so well served with them. They are easy to use – I’ve given one (a training one) to a group of twelve-year olds and they worked it out without further instruction.
I would add that they work best in conjunction with CPR, so would urge everyone to learn this too – though the ambulance service will give you instructions over the phone.
Ruby,
What are the most current CPR procedures? I’ve heard that the method keeps changing.
Do you follow these? No kissing?
The “gold standsard” (the best that we can do) is full CPR, with two rescue breaths (aka artivicial ventilations / kiss of life) between each cycle of 30 chest compressions. HOWEVER, for people untrained in CPR it is better to do just chest compressions – a rate of 100-120 per minute, pushing 5-6 cm into the chest (on an adult). One of the rationales for this is that if you’ve never done it before, it is better to do one thing properly than two things improperly, and chest compressions are easier than rescue breaths. Indeed, when you phone the ambulance service, this is the instructions they will give. Studies have shown that there is little difference to outcome between full CPR or chest compressions only in the first four minutes. The ‘chest compression only’ method is also an option when the mouth is covered in vomit etc. and you don’t want to put your mouth near it.
You should do two minutes of chest compressions immediately after delivering a shock from the defibrillator. After two minutes the machine will work out whether a further shock is required.
And remember – an AED will not correct every cause of a cardiac arrest. It will detect whether or not a shock will be effective. Most arrests are shockable, but have at the back of your mind “if the AED says ‘no shock required’ it doesn’t mean that the heart is beating”.
Just re-read my comment and thought I better clarify. “you should ALSO do two minutes of chest compressions immediately after delivering a shock”. CPR should also be carried out while waiting for the AED!!
The village where my uncle lives were looking into buying a defibrillator. Someone said “what if we spend all this money but the defibrillator is never needed”. My uncle’s response was “if it’s not needed, that’s a good thing, isn’t it?”
CPR
It is best if you do it right but even an incorrect attempt is better than none. Just look at First aid – CPR and you will know what to do. Do a practice run on your spouse and show your children. More likely, the children will show you.
The important thing is to get going quickly. Make the 999 call or better get someone else to do it. Start the chest compressions. Do the mouth to mouth lung inflation. Don’t be squeamish, someone’s life is at stake. You can do it through a handkerchief or tissue but make sure the chest inflates. Don’t forget to pinch the nose.
Most cases do not survive so do not feel guilty if you fail. I have been involved in two and neither made it but then we did not have a defibrillator.
The thing to remember is that you can’t do any harm. If someone’s heart has stopped beating they are technically dead – whatever you do won’t make them worse than that! So have a go. Yes, as Mike says, it may not work – in fact it probably won’t. But if you don’t try you won’t know, and you might spend the rest of your life wondering whether you could have made a difference.
I’m not sure I would recommend practicing chest compressions on a healthy, conscious person though. you might do damage (ribs might break, or heart rhythm might be affected (though I think the jury is out on that one)).
In one first-aid course that I attended, before doing CPR, we put on gloves, and placed a special ‘plastic’ thing over the mouth of the dummy. (There is an opening to allow you to breathe in through the ‘plastic’, while protecting you from the potential mess from the ill person.)
It all seems very nice and very much agreeing with ‘health and safety’, but in a real situation, do you have time to wear gloves, or even place a hygienic plastic cover over the person in need?
If one of those protection masks were at hand, I would use it. If not, I would perform artificial ventilation if the mouth were clean, and just chest compression if it weren’t.
What is an artificial ventilation?
Why don’t you come down here one day and do a demo? 🙂
blowing into the mouth aka “kiss of life”. More than happy to give a demo – just arrange a time and venue.
I’m sure some people reading this are getting excited by your offer.
It’s good to know where these defibulators are located – 10 mins drive from where I live in Carlyn Drive. My husband has Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy a condition that could lead to sudden heart failure. I think I should learn how to do CPR and would be interested in any future familiarity sessions.
Dot