Kimblesworth and Plawsworth Parish Council has purchased and installed two new defibrillators at the villages of Plawsworth and Kimblesworth.
Early CPR and defibrillation can double a person’s chances of surviving an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. In too many cases, there is no nearby defib to assist survival. Having three defibrillators at key landmarks within our parish area can be life saving for victims of heart attacks leading to cardiac arrest. The new installations follow the recent addition of the bleed control cabinet at the community centre.
The parish council has installed the defibrillators, in secure cabinets, at Plawsworth Red Lion Pub on the A167, and St Philip and St James Church at Oak Crescent, Kimblesworth. The defibrillators are placed on external walls so the public can access 24 hours, 7 days a week. Both defibrillators have been registered with The Circuit online, which means the public can search for them on the internet and emergency services can direct callers to their location and provide a code to access. The cabinets are lit so they can be accessed quickly at any time of day and also contain easy instructions for usage.
The council wish to thank the Red Lion Pub and the local church for giving permission to place the cabinets. We hope both defibs will never (or at least rarely) be required but it gives some peace of mind for residents that they are close at hand, should they be needed.
Split-funded between the parish council and the Department of Health and Social Care (working with London Hearts Charity), the defibs are easy to use and provide immediate care to those that need it. They are housed in accessible protective casing, which sit within hi-vis yellow heated cabinets (extending the lifetime of the battery), and marked with green 'shock' signage. All the contents of the cabinets are clearly labelled for rapid identification. The parish council is committed to the future maintenance of the two new defibs and will work with the hosts at each location to ensure the machines stay in good working order.
The parish council funded the defibrillator at Nettlesworth Community Centre in 2018 and continue to fund the maintenance, replacing the pads and battery when required. We are thankful for the cooperation of Plawsworth and Kimblesworth Community Association, who continue to check the defibrillator regularly and arrange training for volunteers and potential users.
The council has no building assets but recognise that partnership working with community organisations provides the best route for life saving equipment for residents. The cabinets are placed within a maximum four minutes drive from all boundaries of the parish, are close to major roads (B6312 and A167) and the primary school, and are also on hand for those using the centre, the football pitch at Ugly Lane, the church, the cricket club at Kimblesworth, and local playgrounds.
If someone requires access to any defibrillator cabinet they should call 999 and advise of their location, and a code will be provided to access the equipment. The emergency services will also help instruct on the use of equipment.
We will continue to explore the viability of another cabinet near Cross Lane, Sacriston and will liaise with private businesses and other organisations about the possibility for placement. But for now, the closest 24/7 defibrillator to Daleside, Westhills Close and the new estate at Cross Lane, is at The Fulforth Centre Sacriston, which is two to three minutes drive away.
A professionally recorded full demonstration training session including FAQs, can be viewed here: https://vimeo.com/557677120/e7524918c5
Comments