Council increases the number of defibrillators across Redbridge, to save lives

Redbridge Council has extended its network of public access defibrillators, putting life-saving equipment into more locations.

Defibrillators save lives every day in the UK. 999 call handlers will be able to direct local people to their nearest defibrillator when needed and give them a code to access the equipment. Anyone can use a defibrillator and there is no training required. When the defibrillator is turned on, it will give clear step-by-step voice instructions. There are now 32 easy-to-use defibrillators located in easy to access places across the borough. The defibrillators are available for members of the public to use in emergencies and can be found inside distinctive, yellow cabinets. Each box also contains a bleed control kit, a special type of first aid kit to stop heavy bleeding until medical help arrives.

The devices work by giving a high energy electric shock to the heart through the chest wall in someone in cardiac arrest. The high energy shock called defibrillation works by restoring the heart to a normal rhythm.

In an emergency, people in Redbridge are advised to:

• Call 999
• If there’s a defibrillator nearby the emergency call handler will let you know where it is, and will tell you the access code
• Do not interrupt CPR to find a defibrillator. If possible, send someone else to find it.

See guidance in the video below from the British Heart Foundation:

It’s helpful to familiarise yourself with where your local defibrillators might be. Find your nearest defibrillator.

Leader of Redbridge Council, Cllr Kam Rai, said: “Defibrillators save lives, which is why we have expanded the network of these in Redbridge. If you need use one, rest assured emergency services will be able to direct you to the nearest defibrillator, and will guide you through using it.”

Councillor Mark Santos, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health said: “We are driven to improve the health and wellbeing of people in Redbridge. I’m really pleased we have extended our network of these life saving devices. A person is nearly four times more likely to survive a cardiac arrest when a bystander uses a defibrillator on them, so these machines are vital for our community.”

If you would like to host a public access defibrillator, you can apply for one with the London Ambulance Charity.

It is important to know how to do basic first aid in an emergency. Knowing things like CPR, the recovery position, and how to stop heavy bleeding, can make a huge difference. Visit the NHS website and take the time to learn the basics, it might just save someone’s life.