Do you know where your nearest defibrillator is located? And why is it so important to know before you need it?

Advances in technology have led to more defibrillators being available to the public to access in case of an emergency. These are known as ‘PADS’ or Publicly Accessible Defibrillators and they are extremely simple to use. The devices talk you through what to do, have visual instructions for placement of the pads, and make all the decisions for you. Based on the heart rhythm they detect, they will decide whether or not to provide a shock, so your role is simply to apply the pads and follow the instructions. Whilst familiarisation sessions are very worthwhile in building confidence to act, specific training isn’t required to use one and in the event of one potentially being required, the 999 call handler will direct you to obtain the nearest one as long as someone can stay with the casualty.

The 999 call handler will be able to tell you where your nearest PAD is, but it’s a good idea to know where they are located in your community before one is needed. If someone does go into cardiac arrest and a defib is needed, the speed with which it is applied to the casualty has a significant impact on their chance of survival. Being able to apply the defibrillator within 5 minutes of collapse produces the best chance, and for every additional minute the casualty waits, their chance of survival drops by around 10%. Therefore, sending someone to obtain the nearest unit even before the 999 call is answered can make a huge difference.

The Ambulance Service Trusts, in conjunction with the British Heart Foundation and other groups, have developed a nationwide database of PADs and if you call 999, they will use this database to direct you to your nearest unit. However, the database is also deliberately publicly accessible so you can familiarise yourself with your nearest units. To find your nearest 10 defibrillators, go to https://defibfinder.uk and put in the postcode or name of the road and area. For each of the 10 units, information will be provided on the location, when it is available, and how long it will take to walk or drive to the unit. If the unit is available all day every day, it’s probably in a box outside a building; if there are specific hours when it is available, it’s probably located inside the building and only available when the building or business is open. Sometimes it will indicate that the unit ‘is not available now’ – this could be because it is outside of the opening times of the building, or that the guardian has not completed their checks and updated the database.

If the defibrillator is in a locked box, dial 999 and request the code to unlock it. Make sure the person you send for the defibrillator has a phone on them!

Defibrillators are really simple to use, but if you’d like some further reassurance, click here to watch our video for step by step instructions on how to carry out CPR and use a defibrillator. If you have any questions or would like to run a familiarisation session, we’re happy to help – get in touch!