The Oxhill News

Oxhill

This months News
January 2003
February 2003
March 2003
April 2003
May 2003
June 2003
July 2003
August 2003
September 2003
October 2003
November 2003
December 2003

Contents

Editorial
Nature Notes
Whats an AED?
Care in the Community
Letters to the Editor
Christmas Pudding Sales
W.I.
Carol Singing
Garden Club

What's an AED?

When I was out walking recently, a fellow rambler collapsed at Charlecote. The Stratford ambulance arrived too late to save him and he joined the 94% of cardiac arrest victims who fail to survive delayed paramedic resuscitation. Every year nearly 100,000 heart attacks in this country lead to heart failure and immediate collapse. Time is then of the essence: without a powerful stimulus to the heart to restore it's natural rhythm within minutes, the chances of survival disappear rapidly. Ambulances have a target of eight minutes to reach a cardiac arrest but what chance have they of achieving this in a rural area such as ours?

Since the mid 1990's a portable version of the hospital Automated Electronic Defibrillator (AED), which provides a brief, powerful electrical stimulus to the heart, has been available. The equipment is so easy to use that, in a test, a nine year old child, after 2 minutes instruction, took only 35 seconds to unpack it and deliver treatment. Experience in America and

Italy shows that use of the equipment significantly enhances survival rates.

This is a clear case for a rural community such as our's to acquire an AED The 'difficulties' such as they are, of where to keep it, training users and setting up a duty rota should not be allowed to dissuade us of it's value. I understand the ambulance service has details on obtaining the kit and training volunteers. The equipment, the size of a lunch box, costs £2000. I should be delighted to hear from those of you interested in pursuing this idea and discussing ways of raising the money involved. There are some 200 adults in Oxhill, the cost is around £10 for each adult.

Is your life worth more than £10?

Tony Eastaugh. Charity House 01295 680708

This site is maintained by villagers of Oxhill for the benefit of the community and those interested in the history, news and activities that make the village such a pleasant place to live.

Last modified: August 30, 2003