Have you registered your Defibrillator?

a yellow defibrillator on a wall attached to a public building

How you can save a life

Surrey County Council want to highlight the importance of registering defibrillators in your community. With over 10,000 defibrillators in the UK, it is vital to make sure that your defibrillator is ready to go in the case of an emergency.

Cabinet Member for Communities, Mark Nuti said "Defibrillators can be the difference between life and death. You will have a much better chance of surviving a cardiac arrest if you have access to one of the many defibrillators across the county. It is so important that we make sure all machines are registered with the national defibrillator network – 'The Circuit' enabling the emergency services to locate and advise you where the nearest defibrillator is should you need this, potentially, lifesaving piece of equipment".

Here are some of the basics you need to know in order to use a defibrillator correctly and ensure it is registered.

What is a defibrillator?

A defibrillator is a device that gives a high energy electric shock to the heart of someone who is in cardiac arrest, which can help restore the heart's rhythm, and get it beating normally again. A defibrillator may also be referred to as a defib, an AED (Automated External Defibrillator) or a PAD (Public Access Defibrillator).

What to do if someone is having a cardiac arrest

Cardiac arrests can happen to anyone, at any time. Follow these 4 steps to give someone the best chance of survival:

1. Call 999
2. Start CPR
3. Ask someone to bring a defibrillator if there's one nearby (if no one is available to get one, listen to the emergency operator for further instructions)
4. Turn on the defibrillator and follow its instructions.

How to use a defibrillator

Defibrillators located in your community are designed to be used by the public. Most defibrillators will have a key code lock and the code is accessed by calling 999 which means the device re-mains secure. When you switch the defibrillator on, it will provide clear instructions and talk you through what you need to do. You do not need to be trained to use a defibrillator and the device will not shock someone unless they need it.

The British Heart Foundation have created a step by step guide on how to use a defibrillator, see the video below.

Find your nearest defibrillator through The Circuit web page.

Registering a defibrillator

You can register your defibrillator with the National Defibrillator Network on The Circuit web page. This will ensure that your defibrillator will be easily accessible in an emergency.

When you register your defibrillator you will be asked to provide any access details like codes for locked cabinets, these codes will be provided by the ambulance service when you call in an emergency situation.

Other information you need:

Your defibrillator's emergency ready status including; when the device was last checked, the pad expiry date and whether you also have paediatric pads.
The specific location of the defibrillator (this information will be accessible to the ambulance service).
Device details including brand and model and the device serial number.
Access details - The Circuit need to know if the device is in a locked cabinet (and if it is, the code), whether the device is accessible to the public or restricted and the times when the defibrillator is accessible if not continuously.

How to look after a defibrillator

The British Heart Foundation have created a guide on how to look after a defibrillator and what to do once the defibrillator has been used.