A defibrillator is a piece of lifesaving equipment that can be used when a person goes into cardiac arrest. This is when their heart stops beating normally because the electrical activity in their heart has become disrupted and disorganised. A defibrillator gives a jolt of energy to the heart, which can help restore the heart’s rhythm and get it beating normally again. If you see someone unconscious and not breathing, first call 999 and the operator will tell you if there is a defibrillator nearby. If there is, you’ll be asked to stay with the patient and carry out CPR while someone near you locates the defibrillator and brings it to you. Defibrillators give the person using them clear audio instructions. And don’t worry, you can’t hurt someone with a defibrillator because it won’t work unless a person is in cardiac arrest.
Follow the chain of survival
Being familiar with the four steps of the Chain of Survival could help you to save a life in an emergency:
1. Early recognition - recognise a cardiac arrest and call 999.
2. Early CPR – keep the brain and other vital organs supplied with blood and oxygen.
3. Early defibrillation – using a defibrillator as soon as you can increase someone’s chance of survival.
4. Early advanced care by paramedics and post-resuscitation care in the hospital.
If you start CPR within two minutes, use a defibrillator within four minutes, and a paramedic arrives within eight minutes, patients will have a 40% chance of survival.
