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Okehampton PADs (Public Access Defibrillators) is a new charity formed towards the end of 2017. Thanks to local charities and donations they have raised enough funds to install five public access defibrillators around town - three were already in place. The additional five will improve location and accessibility to life saving equipment for everyone.
Charity trustees Joe Rice and James Stevens met at a first aid training course run by Joe, who is also a firefighter in the town, and discussions started about the benefits of defibrillators and CPR as treatment for those who stop breathing and go into cardiac arrest.
Statistically the chance of survival increases from less than 10% to 50-70% with the intervention of a defibrillator and good quality CPR. With increasing demands on the ambulance service, there could be considerable time when a member of the public will be the only person available to administer first aid.
Darren Goodwin, a critical care paramedic, came on board as a trustee and with Joe and James, they lodged funding applications to allow the purchase extra defibrillators and provide regular free training sessions.
Positioning of the defibrillators is of paramount importance. The charity trustees studied the best locations to cover as large an area as possible while also considering electrical supplies, owners’ permissions and visibility. The cabinets needed to be visible so they are accessible to local people and visitors too. All the cabinets are unlocked to ensure the life saving equipment is ready to be used as quickly as possible.
While anyone can use a defibrillator, awareness on the positioning of the defibrillator equipment, confidence in using them and giving good quality CPR is fundamental to their success, so they urge as many people as possible to attend training. Free two hour training sessions will be run monthly in various locations around town.
Okehampton Public Access Defibrillator Locations:
Fore Street(TwoRivers Restaurant); George Street(public toilets); North Road (Fire Station); Crediton Road (Gillian’s Curtis Cuts); Exeter Road (Costcutter).
Cabinets were being fitted throughout August and September.
Other PADs in Okehampton are at Elemental Microanalysis Ltd on Exeter Road Industrial Estate, The Pavilion in the Park and at Okehampton Primary School.
Free training sessions will take place on
Thursday, September 27th atOkehampton Rugby Club, 7pm – 9pm; Wednesday, October 24th at Fairplace Church, 7pm – 9pm; Thursday, November 15thNovember at The Ockment Centre, 7pm – 9pm and Friday, December 7th at Okehampton Church Hall, 7pm – 9pm.
Booking is essential due to limited spaces, email okepads@gmail.com.
More information can be found at www.facebook.com/Okepadsand www.okepads.wixsite.com/okepads