HEACHAM: Village welcomes life-saving unit
DEFIBRILLATOR AT HEACHAM Kenny Harkin-Perry of the ambulance service demonstrates the automated external defibrillator on a manikin to, on his left, president of the East of England Co-operative Society, John Pendle, and his right, store manager, Samantha Orton, and Heacham parish council chairman, Martin Johnson
Heacham’s Co-op store became the first in Norfolk to have a potentially life-saving defibrillator installed on Wednesday.
The village is one of 100 rural areas to be receiving a unit, funded by the East of England Co-operative Society, as part of the Every Minute Counts campaign.
The unit has been installed on the outside of the Co-op store on Station Road to provide 24-hour access to the equipment in the event of a cardiac arrest.
Chairman of the parish council, cllr Martin Johnson joined residents and community groups to learn more about how the defibrillator works. They were able to practice using the equipment on resuscitation dolls, under the expert guidance of first responders and members of the ambulance service.
Amanda Long, executive officer for the Society, said: “It was great to see local residents take such an interest.
“While the defibrillator gives step by step instructions, which would be backed up with support from a 999 operator, we also want to highlight how action in the first four minutes can help to save a life.
“The enthusiastic and knowledgeable medical representatives were able to answer questions and provide insightful demonstrations to give local residents more confidence in the event of an emergency.”
Andrew Barlow, from the East of England ambulance service, said: “In the instance of a cardiac arrest an ambulance will always be dispatched to the scene.
“When a call is made to the emergency services, if there is more than one person with the casualty, the caller will be directed to the nearest defibrillator.
“An access code and guidance will be given over the phone by the 999 operator and guidance on how to use the equipment.”
“If someone can administer CPR or use one of these community access defibrillators within the first four minutes while an ambulance is on route, there is a significantly higher survival rate.”
For further information about the campaign or to see where and when further units will be unveiled, visit www.eastofengland.coop/everyminutecounts.
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Weather for King's Lynn
Thursday 23 May 2013
Today
Light showers
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