Tullamore Tribune
Thursday, 24 November 2011
The Clara defibrillator group has reminded people to immediately dial 999 for an ambulance in case of a person collapsing. The Group says that there are a number of defibrillators and emergency responders locally (including the local fire brigade) but they will only be dispatched in case of a confirmed cardiac arrest (person unconscious and not breathing adequately). In other words for the defibrillator scheme to be activated someone has to call 999 and confirm that the person is not conscious and not breathing properly. Responders should then be alerted automatically and if available (which is the case in over 90% of the time) they will attend prior to the arrival of the ambulance.
According to the defibrillator scheme this gives the patient the best possible chance of survival. By dialling 999 immediately an emergency ambulance is dispatched and if required local responders are activated to assist prior to the arrival of the ambulance. If available these trained responders are normally present within minutes.
The defibrillator group has issued the following steps for members of the public to call in the event of someone collapsing, or finding a person in a collapsed state.
- Make sure the scene is safe before approaching the person.
- Quickly check the patient to see if they are conscious and breathing adequately.
- Dial 999 for an ambulance and answer the questions which the operator will ask …. These questions include your phone number, the address of the emergency, whether the person is conscious and breathing, directors to the address.
- It is vital that the questions regarding consciousness and breathing are answered as accurately as possible as they will determine whether or not the local defibrillator scheme is activated. When asked about breathing, if the person is breathing normally answer YES, if they are not breathing properly answer NO, if you are unsure answer IA M NOT SUER.
- If there are other people available send them to direct responders and ambulance personnel to the incident.
In addition to responders the Clara defibrillator group has trained over 150 people in Clara in CPR and in the use of a defibrillator. These people have been made aware of the locations of the defibrillators in Clara. Should these trained people encounter a collapse their training allows them to carry out CPR and/or get a defibrillator prior to the arrival of the ambulance, depending on the location and nature of the emergency. Further training courses will be held in the near future. Anyone interested in attending a free course should contact Kevin on 086 8252083 or Barry on 087 2854634.