PARISH councillors in West Auckland have been shown how to save a life as the village was earmarked for a second heart-start machine.
NHS representative Tracy Storey led a demonstration prior to West Auckland Parish Council’s March meeting.
Councillors were shown how to use the village defibrillator which is currently housed at Devonshire House care home, on Front Street.
Ms Storey is an associate practitioner with the cardiac arrest prevention team for County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust.
She said: “They are designed for anyone to use. You don’t need any medical background whatsoever.
“No matter what defibrillator it is, they all work the same. Just do what it tells you. There is a 12 per cent chance of survival.”
Ms Storey gave a brief overview of CPR, which can be given to a patient before attempting defibrillation. She advised councillors that they should remain calm and listen to the machine’s instructions in the event of an emergency.
She said: “Switch it on and get the pads out of the packets. They tell you exactly where to put them so you can’t go wrong. Place them in position and check the leads are connected.
“The defibrillator will say ‘analysing heart’. Do not touch the patient. It will tell you if the heart is in a shockable rhythm. If a shock is advised, it will tell you it is going to charge up. Before the button is pressed to shock, you must make sure nobody else is touching the patient because it will shock them and you could put that person into cardiac arrest too.
“The shock will be delivered and the patient will make a bit of a jolt. If they don’t show any visible signs of life, continue with CPR. The machine will analyse the heart again to see if it needs to shock again.
“The response time after a 999 call should be within eight minutes but given the pressures today in hospitals you may be stuck for slightly longer. Just do what the machine tells you until help arrives.”
The parish council purchased a defibrillator for the village in 2016 but it emerged at the recent meeting that it has never been officially registered with the North East Ambulance Service.
Despite being accessible 24/7, emergency services have not been made aware that there is a defibrillator available for use. It was agreed that the parish clerk, Sharon Wootton, would register the device.
Ms Storey also informed members that a second defibrillator was being earmarked for the village at no cost to the parish council. Councillors discussed purchasing two wall cabinets, which they said cost around £500 each, to make their whereabouts more prominent.
Cllr Billy Robinson said: “Those yellow boxes stand out like a sore thumb and people will know they are there.”
Councillor Jean Curl said: “I think if we are going to the expense of getting a defibrillator it should be in a box.”
Cllr Ed Farrer said: “I agree. It is probably going to be more noticeable in a box.”
Councillors voted in favour of ordering an outdoor cabinet for the device which is currently stored indoors at the care home. A second box will be ordered when the additional defibrillator is delivered. Possible locations for the siting of the machines will be discussed as part of April’s agenda.
