Why Village needs second Automated External Defibrillator

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Weʼre raising £1,200 to fund an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) for the village to be sited at the Curry Rivel Village Hall. So far we have raised approximately £238 through the donations of a few people and a generous contribution from Curry Rivel Live and the community website host.

Some people may be questioning why a second AED is needed in the village so here are some very good reasons to explain.

The chances of survival from sudden cardiac arrest decrease 10% for every minute that passes and if defibrillation does not occur within a five to ten minute window, the chances of a victim surviving are almost zero.

If someone experiences a sudden cardiac arrest at the Village Hall the nearest AED is at the garage. It would take an average person two minutes to get to the garage from the hall, say a further two minutes to call 999 to unlock the cabinet and another two minutes to get back to the Hall with the AED. Add to that another two minutes to set up the defibrillator assuming the victim is still alive by then and you can see that it would take a minimum of 8 minutes, more likely 10 minutes, before a person could receive treatment from the AED to start their heart again.

With an AED sited at the Hall that 8 minutes could be cut to 4 minutes or less thereby increasing the chances of survival by 50%.

With the increased number of people now using the Village Hall, it is important that there is an AED in close proximity in order to be able to give prompt treatment in the event of sudden cardiac arrest

With an emergency response vehicle reaching 75% of life-threatening 999 calls within 8 minutes (longer in rural areas) (www.nhs.co.uk) the time between a casualty suffering a cardiac arrest and the emergency services arriving means that the chances of survival rapidly reduce. Having an AED on-site whether it be a workplace, school, university or any public building means that life-saving treatment can be given to a casualty immediately, therefore dramatically increasing the chances of survival from a cardiac arrest.

AEDs are a simple and effective method of administrating life-saving treatment to a casualty suffering from cardiac-arrest and can be used on both adults and children over the age of 1 years old. AEDs are extremely safe to use as they provide clear step-by-step instructions on how to use them and will only allow a defibrillation shock to be delivered to a casualty if one is required.

There is no doubting how vital AEDs can be in saving-lives. Prompt delivery of defibrillation can result in survival rates as high as 75% (Resuscitation Council, UK). Having one close by could mean the difference between life and death.

We hope this persuades users of the Village Hall and others of the need for a second AED in the village and perhaps encourage you to contribute a little something to the appeal.

Donations can be made by cheque to Curry Rivel Village Hall or on line at

Contact Roger Hampton for more information on 01458 741606 or Tony Greenaway on 252495