Sutton Council employees can now add saving lives to their list of skills after the council officially gained accreditation from the London Ambulance Service (LAS) for the use of defibrillators.
The accreditation event held on Friday 10th October by Mayor Arthur Hookway in the Mayor’s Parlour is part of the London Ambulance Service’s Shockingly Easy campaign to urge local businesses to get a defibrillator, a machine that can shock the heart to restart it when it’s in cardiac arrest.
The London Ambulance Service’s Shockingly Easy campaign aims to get at least 1,000 extra defibrillators (costing just £950) in shops, businesses, gyms and high footfall areas across London.
Sutton Council now has two defibrillators onsite, one in the reception area of the Civic Offices and the other on the Denmark Road site. The two newly installed machines have a shelf-life of 7-8 years with a battery life of 4-5 years and cannot be misused.
Martin Bullock, Community Defibrillator Officer from the London Ambulance Service explains:
“The machines gives very clear instructions on being turned on and will not deliver a shock unless it clearly recognises a heart rhythm consistent with cardiac arrest.
“When you have a cardiac arrest your heart stops, blood is no longer being pumped around the body and you are clinically dead.
“It’s crucial that cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR – chest compressions and rescue breaths) and defibrillation is given to the patient in the first three to four minutes.
“Around 28 per cent of people survive an out of hospital cardiac arrest but, where there is a defibrillator present the chance of survival can increase to 80 per cent.”
Council Leader Ruth Dombey said:
“Of course I sincerely hope that these defibrillators are never called upon, but I know that if help is needed then this vital resuscitation equipment could help save a life. Having a defibrillator close to hand when someone has a cardiac arrest can mean the difference between life and death.
“I would urge every shop, gym, hotel and office in Sutton to get behind the Shockingly Easy campaign today to get a defibrillator installed.”
For more information on how to get a defibrillator for your organisation and training on how to use it call the Shockingly Easy campaign on 020 7783 2366 or visitwww.londonambulance.nhs.uk/shockinglyeasy