Defibrillators

[ChrisB]

At a recent club meeting we discussed the topic of first aid including first aid kits etc.

One member asked if we should/could/would look at getting a defibrillator. It’s something we have been asked about before but with the cost of around £1000 it’s a massive outlay for a small club.

My question is, do other clubs have them or access to them and if so were they grant funded, if so how, or were they purchased?

Thanks

CB

[Paul Marsh]

Work has two of them in one building alone, but for a multi-billion pound company, £1k is nothing. Nice to know it's there, and a company heli-pad round the back, which did get used recently, when one chap was rushed to hospital in it.

[Tim Kearsley]

My club purchased one in the last few months. Thankfully we've not had to use it yet!

Tim.

[Former Member]

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[ChrisB]

Thanks. We are looking at getting some training but I wondered if Defibs were becoming more common at flying sites?

Edited By ChrisB on 15/03/2018 13:00:18

[Cuban8]

 

I you can start and tune an engine, you can do this.

Edited By Cuban8 on 15/03/2018 13:16:45

[Philip Ogden]

The most important factors in a resuscitation attempt are good CPR and early defibrillation. The longer these are delayed, the worse the probable outcome. Bearing in mind a lot of flying fields are of the beaten track, it will probably take some time before the ambulance arrives and that is speaking as a Paramedic. If nothing else, good CPR will buy the patient some time. I'm sure a lot of clubs have had this discussion but human nature being what it is, nothing will be done until after an event. I appreciate £1,000 is not a small sum but what price peace of mind? At least you won't be saying "if only we had bought the defib."

[kc]

I think clubs need to have a plan about what to do if anything happens - eg sending a young/ fit member to the gate or main road to direct the ambulance etc. Knowing the satnav code for the location too.

Having witnessed what the Paramedic did on two different occasions in the last year or so I can say they work heroically to save people.

[Former Member]

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[J D 8]

Having served as a Coast Guard rescue officer for 28 years I echo supertigerfan on knowing good CPR technique.

On a call out we were tasked to a suspect heart attack on the Pembrokshire coast path. It took us 30 min's to get to the scene,the last mile being cross country during which we picked up the ambulance crew who were on foot.

On arrival we found the casualty being worked on by two people who were now exhausted and took over the CPR. The paramedic deployed his portable defib [they were a recent introduction and rather large] The casualtys heart was restarted but soon stoped again.This happened several times until the defib battery ran out.

At this point the paramedic said his only chance was to get him to the ambulance so we chucked him on a streacher, lifted it over a fence and on to our Coastguard 4x4 tail gate and zoomed off up the fields all the time doing CPR

At the ambulance the paramedic used the vehicle defib to get him going again and off they went to hospital.

A week later I met the paramedic on another job and he told me that despite arresting five more times on the way to hospital the casuaty was making a good recovery.

A good job all around by all of us,the two passersby knew their CPR and made it possible for a life to be saved.

[TJ Alexander]

Always good to keep your CPR technique up to date. But Defibs can make the difference sometimes, so it's worth getting. I believe there are some charities subsidising the costs of implementation, but I don't know the details.

[Colin Carpenter]

I thought I should relate an event that occured about 5 years ago at our Friday evening Heli meet . Firstly , we are not a club , just like minded flyers getting together. A gentleman in his late 70's was attending to his Heli on the hall stage with his back to me , the only other person flying at the time .As I flew towards the stage I noticed him on his back , motionless ! I raced towards him , immediately thinking he looks dead !!😨 A check of pulse felt nothing ! I called for a coat to use as a pillow and for 999 to be called. He was not breathing !! A fellow flier , military trained , called the ambulance and was asking the despatcher if we should start CPR ? As he was getting the ok the ambulance crew walked through the door and took over . Time elapsed cannot have been 3-4 minutes . A second crew and helicopter arrived in under 20 minutes ! He was off to Bristol !! He survived and now has a pacemaker ! We are all positive that if the ambulance crew had not been in a laybay half a mile away , he would not have survived , even if we had commenced CPR . Moral of the story is quick response and a lot of luck ! 😀

Colin

[Former Member]

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[Chris Walby]

There are companies that you can hire defibrillators with options to buy at the end of the hire period, just search the web.

[J D 8]

There is no doubt that a defibrillator is well worth having,in our rural area there is one kept available in the old villlage telephone box.

CPR comes first and once started keep going until told otherwise by paramedic or doctor.

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Wasn't going to say anything, but, by the time we've done carrying hard hats, eye protection, everything under the Sun (just in case) we'll have no room left for a model.

Get yourselves off out n enjoy yourselves, stop thinking too much.

[Don Fry]

Quite right John, keeling over backward, flying a model, is only slightly worse than dying in bed with a model.

[Engine Doctor]

It all depends on the model Don . Now a page three would be acceptable

Edited By Engine Doctor on 15/03/2018 19:46:44

[Don Fry]

Gender neutrality reigns, please.

[The Wright Stuff]

The question of whether or not to spend members' money on a defibrillator really depends on the details of the club. Location, demographic, likelihood of flying alone [in which case a defib is not much use], and size of the club.

It is also necessary to maintain the defibrillator, and regularly check/service the battery, and maintenance is both money and time.

It sounds like an AGM vote, to me...

[Martin McIntosh]

Reminds me of when I recently revisited a nearby country pub. There was a defib bolted to the car park wall! Enquiring at the bar as to whether customers really got into such a bad state they asked me if I had ever been there on New Year`s Eve.

Evidently a temporary home while the village hall was being done up.

More seriously, I would certainly recommend a St. John`s Ambulance one day first aid course. They also sell comprehensive first aid kits complete with instructions.

[iqon]

We have one available , in our local hospital

[Rob]

IMO spending £1000 on a defib is money well spent. By the time that its broken down to a cost per club member it wont be any more that a gallon of fuel each. I'e attended a few jobs(EMT) where a defib has been used and the patient is conscious by the time we got there. As a hobby, we are generally off the beaten track and not always easy to find and in the world of cardiology "time is muscle" Now not all cardiac arrests are shockable but would you want to be the one who needs it and it isn't there?

British Heart Foundation run a good course called "Heartstart" that teaches basic CPR and first aid. Only lasts for a couple of hours so not to much of a time commitment.

[Former Member]

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[Engine Doctor]

Using a AED or Automated External Defibrillator should be easy as you just follow voice prompts . I wouldn't trust some of the modelers I know as thy would argue ,disagree or get confused with the voice prompts ;some can even argue or start a debate in an empty room ; others are not sure weather they are indecisive or not

Seriously though a great Idea . Just a thought ,it would be prudent to get expert tuition / instruction before making it generally available for members use.

As pointed out we are generally in isolated areas so map co-ordinates and directions for ambulance to find the field is a good way to get help quickly, provided an ambulance is available . And don't forget support your local Air Ambulance . They need all the help they can get .