Community Reporter Sindy Santos has sent us an article giving a report on the recent news that St John Ogilvie Catholic Church has managed to raise the funds needed to purchase a First Aid Defibrillator.
Last month I attended a CPR with Defibrillator training class in our area. Although I have done first Aid before, this time I found it particularly important because we were taught how to use a defibrillator on a person whose heart has stopped working.
That day we were wondering where in our area we could find a defibrillator in case someone needed it. We came to the conclusion that WHEC (Wester Hailes Education Centre) had one as there is a swimming pool there, and Prospect have one by the entrance to their office. Defibrillators are being viewed as more and more important when it comes to first aid with different trials and pilots underway to make them easier to find and use.
But it was at mass when I spotted in the Bulletin that Saint John Ogilvie Catholic Church were planning to raise the £1.032 needed to purchase one.
It’s amazing how in less than a week they were able to reach the target. Congratulations to everyone at the Church who donated and was involved in the fundraising.
The Defibrillator will be purchased in January where the Church will arrange for the training of some parishioners in use of the equipment.
WHAT IS A DEFIBRILAROR?
An AED (automated external defibrillator) is a device that gives the heart an electric shock when someone’s heart has stopped (Sudden Cardiac Arrest). It can be use on children over one year old and adults.
Ambulances have them on board, but using an AED in the minutes before it arrives can double someone’s chances of survival. So it is up to bystanders quickly to find the nearest defibrillator as every minute literally counts.
If you don’t have access to an AED then you should call 999 or 112 for help and do ordinary resuscitation (CPR) until the ambulance and AED arrives.
If the person is unresponsive and not breathing, you will need to do CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation). This involves giving someone a combination of 30 chest compressions and then 2 rescue breaths to keep their heart and circulation going.
In the meantime someone should try find a devise in the area and bring it as soon as possible.
The Defibrillator analyses the person’s heart rhythm and then uses visual or voice prompts to guide you through each step.
HOW TO USE IT
• As soon as you have got an AED, switch it on. It will immediately start to give you a series of visual and verbal prompts informing you of what you need to do. Follow these prompts until the ambulance arrives or someone with more experience than you takes over.
• Take the pads out of the sealed pack. Remove or cut through any clothing and wipe away any sweat from the chest
• Remove the backing paper and attach the pads to their chest
• Place the first pad on their upper right side, just below their collarbone as shown on the pad
• Then place the second pad on their left side, just below the armpit. Make sure you position the pad lengthways, with the long side in line with the length of the their body
• Once you’ve done this, the AED will start checking the heart rhythm. Make sure that no-one is touching the person. Continue to follow the voice and/or visual prompts that the machine gives you until help arrives.
By now, no matter what, you should be proud of yourself for doing your best. Thanks for caring.
Anyone interested in finding out more about the Church, you can contact them at Saint John Ogilvie’s Parish, 159 Sighthill Drive Edinburgh, EH11 4PY, or st.jh.ogilvie@blueyonder.co.uk
If you are interested in learning more about First Aid and how to use a Defibrillator there will be a Bystander CPR training course for parents and carers of pupils at Wester Hailes Edcuation Centre on:
- Thursday 17 January 2019, 6.30pm – 8.30pm
- Tuesday 22 January 2019, 9.30am – 11.30am
You can book your space in the sessions by contacting Alan Stewart at WHEC on 0131 442 2201 or email alan.stewart@whec.edin.sch.uk. You can find out more information on WHEC’s website here.
Please comment below if you are aware of any other public places in South West Edinburgh that keep an AED, Defibrillator as part of their First Aid equipment. AEDs come in a small portable plastic box and are stored in noticeable green casing with a green sign above.
Article submitted by
Sindy Santos
Congratulations!!! Well done!!