Help needed to find hidden defibrillators

Andrea Fallon, Director of Public Health with a defibrillator at Number 1 Riverside in Rochdale

Local businesses are being asked to tell North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) S about defibrillators in their premises, so ambulance staff can direct people to them in an emergency and more lives can be saved.

There are thought to be 46 defibrillators across the borough but there could be even more of these life-saving machines out there.

Andrea Fallon, Director of Public Health and Wellbeing at Rochdale Borough Council, said: “As well as encouraging people to update their first aid skills whenever they can, especially CPR skills, it is vital that we find out about all the defibrillators that are in our area so we can save as many lives a possible. We really need your help to find them all so if you have one or see one when you’re out and about please tell us about them.”

In Rochdale borough 18,014 cardiac arrests took place outside hospitals. Defibrillators can greatly increase the chances of survival for a person suffering a cardiac arrest if done as part of the ‘Chain of Survival’. This is a four-step process, which if done correctly and in the right order can save lives.

The chances of survival are much higher if the right steps are taken immediately after someone experiences a cardiac arrest. Each minute that passes really matters as 40% of people will survive a cardiac arrest if CPR is started within two minutes, a defibrillator is used within four minutes and if paramedics arrive within eight minutes.

Local businesses can register their defibrillators by completing the ‘Tell us about your defibrillator’ form on:

 www.cardiacsmart.nwas.nhs.uk