We’ve added seven new automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to our fleet of charity vans, ready to make a life-saving difference if someone ever needs it.
These AEDs will be in almost continuous circulation throughout the community, as they travel with staff and volunteers to events and talks that we attend.
Members of our charity team attend hundreds of events each year such as Beach Dubbin, The New Forest Show, Dash in the Dark Isle of Wight and Southampton, Southampton Marathon and CarFest, covering thousands of miles.
What is an AED and why are they important?
An AED is a portable electronic device that automatically diagnoses life-threatening cardiac arrests and can treat them through defibrillation – a dose of electric current to the heart.
There are approximately 30,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in the UK each year. And for every minute that someone is in cardiac arrest without receiving CPR and having a defibrillator used on them, their chance of survival decreases by 10%.
Fewer than 1 in 10 survive.
AED in action
70-year-old Paul Wise had a cardiac arrest while he was riding his horse near his home in East Cowes. His wife Joyce, a retired nurse and midwife, sprang into action and began CPR.
When our crew landed, Paul had been shocked eight times in total – 13 by the time he eventually reached hospital.
Paul was put into an induced coma on scene and underwent emergency surgery. Just six weeks later, he was back on his horse – under the watchful eye of Joyce.
Joyce said:
“As soon as we started CPR I could see the colour coming back to his face – so I knew we were doing the right thing. I was thinking please get somebody here quickly. I knew that he needed defibrillation. The fact that we did things quickly and effectively helped save his life.”
Paul added: “I’m very lucky. I’d like to shake the Air Ambulance crew’s hand. I feel like I have a debt to them that I’ll never be able to repay. Because of them, we’re just living life to the full.”
Free AED and CPR training
AEDs are designed to be easy to use – but we’re here to help if you don’t have the confidence to use one.
Sign up your group, club, school or business to our FREE CPR Skills for Life programme. We’ll teach you how to assess a patient, call for help, perform effective chest compressions and how to use a defibrillator.
You don’t need any experience to attend, just a willingness to help save lives.
