Liberate Defibrillators
The JHSG Automatic External Defibrillator Project
HOW THIS PROJECT STARTED
Originally, we asked Dr Andrew Mitchell, Jersey’s Consultant Cardiologist, around June 2013, if he could suggest a worthwhile project that the Jersey Heart Support Group, which he encouraged us to set up in 2011, could commit to.
As there was quite a lot of publicity, around that time, about a young boy called Oliver King, who died during a swimming lesson at school in the U.K. he suggested that it would be really good if we could raise funds to provide AEDs (Automatic external defibrillators) to schools in Jersey.
An old school friend of the JHSG Chairman & Founder (Phil Volante) was at the time the Deputy Head at the Education Department at that time. Phil spoke to him about the idea and he was, understandably, very supportive.
He arranged for a risk assessment to be done which resulted in JHSG being provided with a prioritisation list which had every public, private, special and alternative curriculum schools in the island on it, in total approximately 45 different sites. At the time only 3 of the sites already had an AED.
We committed to taking on the project and arranged publicity to generate interest from the public. This resulted in lots of support from individuals, sporting groups, schools, corporates, etc, ranging from a few pounds to several thousand pounds.
HERE TO OFFER SUPPORT
The first donation was to Beaulieu convent in January 2014 and it was sponsored by the owners of the Clothing Maintenance company in Beresford Street, Brian and Brigid Puckey, in memory of their daughter who had died of an undiagnosed heart condition on new years day 2012. Each donation which covered the full cost of the AED was accompanied by a plaque, if the donor agreed, to commemorate an individual.
After about 2 years, every school in the island had received their AED and JHSG started a new project to “Liberate Defibrillators”, providing external cabinets to house the AEDS which different companies and groups already owned. We have since continued to donate AEDs and cabinets with each application being judged on its merits.
Coincidentally, the 75th AED in a cabinet, which was fully funded by a St Lawrence lady resident and is located outside of the church at Millbrook, was donated last year, the 75th anniversary of the Liberation of Jersey.
Defibrillator Locations
Defibrillator Location Map
