The latest public access heart defibrillator (AED) is now ‘live’ in St Modwena Way (opposite Verdon Close).
Thank you to the homeowner, local residents, Bob Ratcliffe’s family and P&DCFR’s for making this possible!
If you live in the area, do check where it is – in the event of a sudden cardiac arrest you may be directed to collect this by 999 operators and given the code to open the cabinet. The AED will tell you what to do!
Thank you to everyone who shopped at the Coop at Boscomoor over the last year. Using your membership card (and forgetting your shopping bags and buying one in store) raised over £4000 for us!
A fantastic amount that will not only keep our responder team operational but also enable us expand the number of 24/7 public accessible heart defibrillators in the area to save lives.The lives you are helping us save may be people you know!
A super year for P&DCFR thanks to the support and generosity of our local community. Not only do we have our new car to stay operational in bad weather but are now able to help our secondary aim to add more 24/7 public access sites for heart defibrillators (AEDS) in the district.
This is possible though the gift of three AEDS from family & friends in memory of former resident, Bob Ratcliffe, several more from WMAS “Staffordshire 1000” scheme plus special funding given to us that is restricted to “community resuscitation projects” such as cabinets and CPR/AED training.
The first new AED is already available in Templars Way being accessible to Druids and Princefields areas. Two more will ‘go live’ this week – one will be outside “The Star” (with support from Round Table, Spoofers and customers) and the other at “The Swan at Whiston” again with additional help from their customers.
Details of other sites will follow as they go live!
To all of you that follow us on Facebook – we still want to remain “friends” but our page is now simply called “Penkridge & District Community First Responders” and with additional team members able to add information, we hope to keep you more up to date with what we are doing!
SEPTEMBER NEWS
Thank you to South Staffs Council for the opportunity to demonstrate CPR and defibrillators (AED) to the Let’s Work Together group at Codsall.
Opportunities were provided to try CPR – a vital part of the immediate action if someone isn’t breathing. As always there were people who were worried about using an AED but hopefully they went away with the confidence to use one if necessary and realised that the defib cant make a poor situation even worse!
Well done to even more potential lifesavers!
Does the ambulance service know about it? Please pass this information to the person responsible for the AED!
When a cardiac arrest strikes, CPR and defibrillation can help double someone’s
chances of survival. Many defibrillators never get used because emergency
services don’t know where they are or how to access them.
That’s why they need to be registered on The Circuit – the new national defibrillator network. It is connected to West Midlands Ambulance Service and allows them to direct 999 callers to the nearest defibrillator to save lives.
There are currently tens of thousands of defibrillators in public and private locations but to date they are used in less than 4% of cardiac arrests. If the Ambulance Service know where it is, it’s far more likely to be used.
There may be reasons why it isn’t possible for the public to access your premises or use your AED. However, a cardiac arrest could happen on your car park, in your grounds or anywhere in your buildings and with most people carrying mobile phones your staff may call 999 directly. If your AED is registered they can be reminded of its existence and location and help save a colleague’s life!
Better knowledge and data about their locations could make the difference between life and death – that’s why you need to register it on The Circuit.
How do I register? Registering your defibrillator on The Circuit is quick and simple.
1. Set up your account at www.thecircuit.uk
2. Register your defibrillator
• You will need to know the location and surroundings of the defibrillator
• You will need the brand, model and device serial number
• You will need to know when the defibrillator is accessible (it doesn’t need to be 24/7, it can be simply when your school, pub, club, surgery or other premises are open)
• You will need to know when the pads expire and if it displays a green emergency ready light.
(You will receive reminders to check the defibrillator and warnings when pads are about to expire).
3. You are ready to help save lives!
After entering your post code some details of an AED may exist because of already having being on WMAS 999 systems or listed temporarily by your local CFRs until correct ‘guardians’ can be established. Please still check, update contact details if necessary and complete any missing information such as access times.
Ready to help save a life? Go to www.thecircuit.uk and register your defibrillator now!
12/07/2019
As part of finding out about the work of emergency services, Penkridge Beaver Scouts learnt about our responder volunteers with Mark and how CPR can save lives.
In Coven, Brian and his staff at Astons Butchers were trained by Neil in basic life support and how easy it is to use a heart defibrillator.
Well done and thank you for having a go!
And fund raising continues at both the “Star” in Penkridge and at the “Penkridge Cricket Club” in Pillaton to provide cabinets for the AEDS they already have so they can be made available 24/7.
A super 10th birthday for Penkridge & District Community First Responders at this year’s Round Table Fun Day. Our new responder vehicle was unveiled and ready to go into action this week!
We have one of the best ambulance services in the UK but there are still delays especially in rural areas and in poor weather. In a more serious life threatening emergency like cardiac arrests, every minute counts so the idea of local community responder volunteers is to help until an ambulance arrives.
Image : Unveiling of the new Responder car !
With financial support from the Round Table and many others (with Jim from our support team doing all the running around!) Hodson Ford was able to arrange an excellent ‘deal’ for a new Kuga AWD car that will mean we can now respond more often, safely and quickly in adverse road conditions.
Penkridge & District Community First Responders 