The automated external defibrillator (AED) obtained for the village by the resilient communities group has now been installed outside the Clovenfords Hotel, and is available for anyone to borrow at any time. It is located in a weatherproof cabinet on the wall by the bus shelter.
An AED is a device used to provide a ‘shock’ of electrical energy to treat a person in cardiac arrest. This occurs when their heart’s electrical rhythm becomes chaotic so it cannot circulate blood effectively. Cardiac arrest is different from a ‘heart attack’, which is when the blood flow stops to part of the heart, although a heart attack can sometimes cause cardiac arrest.
AEDs are designed to be used by bystanders with no advance training, before emergency services arrive. Two pads are placed on the person’s chest, and the AED will analyse the person’s heart rhythm and determine if a shock is required. If it is, then voice instructions and visual prompts are given to guide through the process. It will not deliver a shock if the person does not need one.
It is vital that you first call 999 and start CPR before borrowing the defibrillator for anyone in suspected cardiac arrest.