I just walked down to the notice board near Aveline Court and saw that a demonstration of the Defibrillator has been arranged to take place at the Village Hall on Tuesday June 30th at 7.30pm----

(Also, thought I'd mention while I'm here that the Parish Council meets at 7.30pm this evening at the Village Hall---)

MrPiggs wrote on 13. May 2015 at 14:12:


Little did I know when this thread was ongoing that there would come a time when the 'so near yet so far' scenario would occur in my home---

Consequently, this issue was on the agenda at a recent Friends of Dene Barton meeting (the members' concerns stretch further than the hospital itself but extend to the local community) which was attended by one of Cotford's Parish Councillors, Tony Freeman.

Due to sharing our concerns, Tony is arranging for leaflets to be produced with instructions regarding accessing and using the defibrillator and he hopes to also arrange a training session re the use of the equipment and administering CPR.

----and you were right, Mr. Piggs---- with the 999 operator stressing I was not to disconnect the call to him until the Paramedics arrived and being prohibited from using my mobile phone to call for additional help because there was no signal, I had to resort to ringing a neighbour's doorbell.

If there's a moral to be found in all this, it's not only to be thankful for good neighbours---it's for each of us also to be one--- We cannot know what any moment will bring and when anyone may need our help--- xx

Recent events indicate that the emergency systems are not well joined up. I cannot understand why the defibrillator cannot be remotely unlocked by the emergency controller when they believe this action is called for. We can remotely control house heating so why not the box. We are supposed tobe a socialist country.
This would overcome and resolve the criticism of the mobile phone system. By the way, there is no signal at my house either!
To leave the person, who could be a loved one, to fetch the equipment with all thoughts going through their mind is horrific. Would you ever forgive yourself should you return and find they have passed away. Not always easy to contact a friendly neigbour either as they could be out at work. With more retired people living on there own a rethink of the 'second person' is required.

I was trying to steer clear of this. How does the first responder enter the address if the person is too ill to open the door? its not a free service and there people living in the uk on their own who cannot afford to have such a device. I can think of 3 in grenville who live on their own and do not have this device.  Maybe because they believe it will never happen to them.
Again this comes back to the emergency controller enabling the box remotely and a local first responder group of people, one of whom is 'on call' and alerted, directed to the alarm address. They should arrive well before the 20 minutes for an ambulance.  How do they get in? if the person is on the floor and on their own? As this would be a more official, joined up uk service entry with police in attendance could be made.  Are we reinventing the wheel, is there a country that has a system that can be copied?

This is an important concern and comments made both by Mr Piggs and especially Marilyn experience need progressing.
Once activated the defibrillator 'voice' confidently instructs the first responder, step by step on actions to take.

I have just read on the Cotford Buy and Sell Facebook page that a lady was in the situation of needing to call 999 very recently and was advised to fetch the defibrillator. When she asked for the code to open the box, the ambulance control operator told her that they don’t hold that information and advised her to ask at the Co op shop....

I have my own personal reasons for feeling that the green box on the wall of the shop is of very little help to this community... no more than an icon giving us a false sense of security...

What can be done to rectify this situation?

IMPORTANT

Community Heartbeat Trust Team have been in touch and are keen to sort this issue as lives are at stake. Even if it is not one of their defibrillators they will still help.
As I am not in Cotford at the moment, can someone please confirm that the box is green and let me know the manufacturer's name and any numbers on the box. This information will help the Trust expedite matters.
Thanks.

Thank you Marilyn.
I have passed those details to the Community Heartbeat Trust Team.

They may send a form to enable registration to occur (if this has not already been done) and this will be sent to the Parish Council.
Once registration has taken place, the ambulance service should be in possession of the code.

I have contacted Councillor Tony Freeman as you advised, Trophy and forwarded the correspondence you have received from the Community Heartbeat Trust as you advised...

I have had a long conversation with him on the phone in which he described clearly the discussions he has had with the Ambulance Service regarding this matter. He has told me that the Parish Council will be prioritising this issue at their next meeting when decisions will have to be made as to whether to broadcast the code to all households for access to the equipment or whether to have an unlocked cabinet installed.

I feel grateful for the time that was afforded me in this conversation and my respects go to those who have taken on the unenviable task of fighting corners for the welfare of all of us...

I am also grateful to one of the Councillors who came to see me at a moment's notice yesterday morning regarding the same matter...

On an encouraging note, Councillor Freeman did tell me that the equipment was recently used at an address nearby and a life was saved...