Life-saving skills should be second nature

In a medical emergency, do you know where your nearest defibrillator is? If not, do you know where to find out quickly? Do you know CPR?

These are important questions that everyone should ask themselves. Somebody could take ill unexpectedly - any time, any place; a child could choke on something; would you know what to do? In these situations, every second is vital and could be the difference between life and death. Everyone owes it to themselves to try to do a basic first aid course; learn CPR; or at the very least know where to turn for help quickly.

Such a situation presented itself in the Celt offices this week as somebody took ill in a neighbouring premises. Does anyone know CPR and where is the nearest defibrillator were the two questions asked urgently as people scrambled to get help. One quick thinker headed for the nearby gym for a first aider; another went on the hunt for a defibrillator. Nobody knew where the nearest defibrillator was; or even where to find out.

As it transpires, there is a national register of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs), which is constantly being updated. Log on to www.rescue.ie to see where your nearest defibrillator is located. The website also has a locator tool that can pinpoint the location of your smart phone or computer and direct you to the nearest device.

Early defibrillation dramatically improves a person's chance of survival in the event of a sudden cardiac arrest and time is everything when comes to an emergency of this kind.

Last week, the National Ambulance Service came in for criticism in this newspaper for taking 72 minutes to respond to an emergency in west Cavan. In this situation, thankfully, the ambulance arrived very quickly on the scene and the service is to be commended for its speedy response. It’s understood the person who took ill is recovering.

In recent months, Cavan County Council, the National Ambulance Service, the Fire Service and gardaí have being encouraging community groups, clubs and businesses to register AEDs on their premises.

The information collected will be used to create a register of AEDs to direct people to the nearest life-saving device in the event of a cardiac emergency. It will also help identify which communities are not well-served by defibrillators and allow those gaps in AED provision to be addressed.

Filling out the online form is straightforward and takes just a few minutes. If there is a defibrillator in your club or community, please take a few minutes to fill out the form. Your actions could very well save a life.

To register your AED, visit www.cavancoco.ie/AED

Of course, this is just one part of the equation. Lives are being put at risk by poorly maintained, publicly accessible defibrillators. If there is an AED in your community, please ensure that somebody is responsible for its regular inspection and maintenance. Also, if they are removed, they need to be returned and properly charged.

Many communities also have first responder groups and that is also to be welcomed. But everybody can play a part in making their communities safe by ensuring they have basic first aid and life-saving skills.

It is heartening to see, in recent years, that CPR training has become part of the Transition Year (TY) curriculum in most schools. This should be compulsory. Keeping such training up to date is also important and the government should support more training courses in the community in this regard.

Employers too should ensure their health and safety requirements in the workplace are regularly monitored and up to date.

In the event of an emergency, always ensure someone rings 999 or 112.

But, until trained help arrives, every second is priceless and having some level of basic knowledge could make all the difference.