Don't lose your defibrillator
Don't lose your defibrillator
We hear on a regular basis about the time it takes to get defibs back to their guardians. SADS UK provide identification tags and labels for a small donation. Identify your defibrillator – make sure it returns to you.
The defib goes with the patient to A&E, the defib is separated from the patient when the professional defib is connected. When the defib is found in A&E there is no easy way to identify the guardian to ensure its return. Returning the defib can often take three weeks.
The defib stays at the scene of the suspected cardiac arrest, it may or may not have been used. The person who originally contacted 999 for the code has left the scene and those left do not know the cabinet code. In a built up area, the cabinet could be on a shop wall, going in to the shop and asking for the guardian sometimes works. It often does not (possibly turnover of staff) and the person left holding the defibrillator is then in a quandary; take it home, sit it on top of the cabinet and hope it is not stolen, or call 999 when it’s not an emergency.
If you would like to order some labels for your defribllator please contact [email protected]
