A new yellow cabinet installed in Alderbrook Close containing potentially life-saving equipment, which can be used by members of the public to help those experiencing sudden cardiac arrest.
Alderbrook Community Association, have worked with Wealden District Council and Crowborough Community First Responders, to provide an emergency defibrillator unit for the Alderbrook estate.
Previously the nearest defibrillator was too far away to have been used in an emergency.
The Association was awarded a grant of £1,635 from the Community and Environmental Budget to purchase and install the device. The budget is funded by tenants’ rents, and is used to funds projects and schemes that will make improvements to the community, or environmental facilities on Wealden District Council estates or at Retirement Living Accommodation.
Housing Officer Christine Box said:
WDC Housing and Property Services were pleased to be able to work with the Alderbrook Community Association and the Crowborough Community First Responders to provide this important emergency equipment for all residents on the estate. Thank you to everyone involved for all their hard work.
The Association has agreed to pay for ongoing maintenance costs, and any donations would be greatly appreciated.
The Crowborough First Responders (CFRs) gave expert advice on the location, installation and specification of the unit.
The medical device automatically diagnoses heart rhythms and, if necessary, they will deliver an electrical shock. It can be used by anyone, no training is necessary.
The defibrillator unit is secured with an alarm and keypad lock to ensure that no-one can tamper with it.
When you call the ambulance service in a relevant emergency, they will give directions to the nearest defibrillator and tell you the one-time code to open it. Instructions on how to use the device are given during use, so anyone can do it.
Crowborough CFRs was awarded the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award a volunteer group can receive in the UK, this year.
Knowledge, skill and confidence can make a difference to someone’s life. If anyone is interested in a First Aid Course this can be arranged.
Well done to all for getting this in place. Let’s hope it’s not vandalised. A list of where all the defibs in the area are situated would be useful. Maybe on the council’s website, or on an app so we could use our phones to find the nearest one in an emergency. Also useful are occasional courses on how to use defibs. It turns out they almost do the job for you, so nobody need be frightened of using one, and a life might be saved.
There is a list of defib locations on the CFRs’ website as well as details of the courses they offer.
Oh, that’s great, Stephan, and thanks for publicising it.