Additional life saving equipment Available In St Helier

The Jersey Heart Support Group ( JHSG ) have, for some time now, been making life saving equipment, in the form of heart starting machines, better known as AEDs or defibrillators, much more readily available around the island.

The most recent additions, to those that are already available within St Helier, have been presented to St Andrews church, which is inside of the park at First Tower, St Thomas’ church in New Street, Liberty bus station and Police HQ on Route du Fort.  All of these have been placed inside specially manufactured cabinets, known as PADs ( Public Access Defibrillators ), which are fitted in positions, outside of the premises, where they can be easily accessed in an emergency.

All members of the public are encouraged to be aware of where the closest one to their location is.  The cabinets are unlocked by using a code number which is provided by the emergency operator after dialling 999.  Once accessed, the AED inside of the cabinet is taken to the site of the emergency, where it can be used to help to save the life of someone who is having a cardiac arrest.

The AEDs are very easy to use and whilst, ideally, the person using it will have been trained, anyone can successfully operate it by following the audio instructions.  Contrary to what is a popular belief, no harm can be caused to a patient by using the AED wrongly. Once attached to the patient in the correct way, the machine checks the heart rate of the patient and will only give an electric shock if it is needed.

For the last couple of years, full instructions about using these life saving devices, as well as information about CPR has been printed in the telephone directory. In the latest one, the 2019 / 2020 directory has these instructions on pages 28 and 29.

In addition to the above, AEDs have also recently been presented to Wet Wheels, the charity that takes disabled people on sea trips on their specially adapted boat, Jersey Mencap, who keep the unit in their vehicle in case it is needed at any of their sites and The States of Jersey Police for their armed response vehicles.

JHSG are very grateful to all individuals and organisations who continue to support the work that they do for the community with their very generous donations.