Defibrillators

All defibrillator sites in Fleet & Church Crookham are now registered on the national defibrillator database, maintained by the British Heart Foundation. Click on the logo to find your nearest defibrillator on the defib finder website.

We're proud to support public access defibrillator (PAD) sites within the Fleet & Church Crookham area. This is where an automated external defibrillator (AED) is kept in an accessible location, and can be used by a member of the public in an emergency. These devices are often kept within heated cabinets, to keep them in optimum condition for emergency use. The locations of these are registered with the local ambulance service (South East Coast) and South Central Ambulance Service who border with us, so that a caller can be directed to the location of a PAD site without delay. Some cabinets are unlocked, others are locked with a code that can be given to a 999 caller by the emergency operator.

AEDs deliver an electric shock to the heart if it suddenly stops, helping it to return to a normal rhythm, they can be used by anyone, and do not require any training. The machine gives the user visual and voice prompts on what to do. You cannot make the situation worse by using a defibrillator, because the machine will analyse the patient's heart rhythm, and only deliver a shock when it is required. Defibrillation remains the only effective treatment for cardiac arrest, and the chances of survival decrease by 10% for every minute without it. After 10 minutes, the chances of survival are less than 5%.

Therefore, we are keen to help place publicly accessible AEDs within the community, in a variety of different locations. So far they have been installed in shopping centres, gyms, schools, community centres, and offices. The cost of a defibrillator and cabinet is less than you might expect, and may one day save the life of someone you know.

We have been able to assist with several PAD site projects in our local area. We can offer advice, and practical assistance with procurement, training, fitting and registration.

For more information, please contact: richard.taylor@secamb.nhs.uk